


525,600 Minutes

by Panda365



Series: Rewrite the Stars [4]
Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, She-Hulk, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Adult Content, Angst, Asexual Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Bruce Banner & Tony Stark Friendship, Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Domestic, Domestic Avengers, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gen, Jealousy, Marriage, Married Life, Minor Bruce Banner/Betty Ross, Original Character(s), Other, Sick Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:28:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 76,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27570787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Panda365/pseuds/Panda365
Summary: The original 6 are mentoring and trying to find homes for a bunch of meta orphans. Jennifer Walters starts to suspect that her daughter might have abilities, Fury goes missing, and Natasha Romanoff’s sudden illness may require the assistance of someone both she (and the Hulk) don’t seem to think very highly of...Elizabeth Ross 2.0*Brutasha focused story with minor plot points with Clint/Laura, Tony/Pepper
Relationships: Bruce Banner & Natasha Romanov, Bruce Banner/Natasha Romanov, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Series: Rewrite the Stars [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1927951
Comments: 10
Kudos: 58





	1. In Daylights, In Sunsets

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for coming back for the next part.
> 
> *Warning for a smutty opener*

Natasha closes her eyes as she lays on her pillow. She’s forgotten about her day for the first time in a week and completely in the moment. Those teasing fingers of her husband are careful with every move, the opposite hand latched firmly onto her hips to ensure that she remains perfectly still. 

She dare not move underneath his firm and secure hold regardless, enjoying an opportunity to let her guard down with complete trust in his every touch, kiss, caress and whisper.

Bruce Banner's attention to detail serves to be her undoing- as usual. No one else reads her the way he does, in and out of the bedroom. He knows the coffee she wants every Friday morning specifically, the way the blinds need to be shut every night not for light but because it makes her feel safe. Every crease in her brow and twitch in her fingers means something different. He often wonders if she’s picked up on the same.

The physicist seems to have muscle memory when it comes to touching his wife, knowing exactly what she wants at any given moment. He misinterprets once in a while, like when he tried to touch a scar over her rib cage. The passive aggressive two week argument ensured it would never happen again. It seemed so petty looking back. Especially when her story ended up being more embarrassing than anything extremely serious.

Natasha is currently riding a high on this warm summer evening, his fingers finding and stroking just the right spot while his talented lips and tongue stay busy tasting every inch of her. She's dizzy and she knows he's watching for her every reaction. Her lower back arches up to meet his tongue and the tips of his teasing contact;

"Vrach!"

He hums against her with a satisfied grin, content over the way he can make her unravel. His tongue is flicking harder now that he knows she’s invested. 

The way she's writhing only encourages him to continue. Her yelping noises are doing nothing for his pulsing member. He wants her but he can wait, he's the master of self-control after all.

Natasha's nails find Bruce's shoulder and move up to grab a handful of his curls. She pulls a little harder to illicit a deep-throated groan from the emotional man. Natasha's voice is cracking when she looks down to find his eyes;

"Come here! Now!"

He likes how it feels when she pulls. Bruce groans with one more lap over her and follows her direction to lay beside her. Natasha cups his cheeks with their day old stubble and straddles her hips over his.

Letting her take over is never all fun and games for the nervous physicist. And the way she pins his arms above his head causes his emotional wall to start go up.

Bruce can’t hide the fact that he wants her even if he’s trying not to give her the satisfaction of knowing she’s unraveling him just the same. After a month apart he’s happy to have time with her.

Natasha nuzzles the side of his neck and bites his earlobe as she sinks herself onto him. He moans;

"Can I move my hands now."

He won’t stop asking and she knows it. Natasha consents with a nod and a seductive 'yes'. Bruce loves her too much not to constantly worry about hurting her and his hands give him more control. 

Natasha is blushing, for as much as she wants to tease him back she loves how his hands feel over her body.

They're kissing now, drinking each other down breathlessly. She can taste herself on his tongue and those thick lips. His fingers are gently holding her hair while hers dig into his flesh. Her purr and stronger grip signal that she wants him to get rougher.

His teeth find her neck with a nip and growl. She finds him irresistible when he starts to lose control, consenting to a firm gripping hold over her neck. She claws, he kisses. He pulls back a bit, cautious at first;

"Is this okay?"

Natasha has a thought to check in on his primal side, watching his neck and eyes for flickering shades of green. It's a sign that tells her to ease up a bit, hand searching for his heartbeat.

The anti-hulk serum he shot himself with hours earlier has never once let them down. But she can't help but check. It's not her favorite thing in the world and if he could avoid it all together she'd feel much better. Because the drug is Bruce's safety net, she leaves him alone about it. They've argued about it before and with all of his modifications to appease the redhead there's no point in arguing further.

After ensuring he's okay she goes in for his jugular to bite back, and hard;

“Don’t stop.”

He wants to pin her in response but not before he gets sappy.

"Tasha, I love you," he moans with his nickname for her. She whispers in her own language, soft and reassuring to remind him that he is loved.

And just like that the telephone rings. Bruce feels like screaming but latches back onto her mouth instead.

They're both on edge and she groans herself over the frustrating interruption that immediately pulls her out of their intimate moment;

"Zhopu porvu margala vikoliu!"

His eyes widen as they pause in their movement. He doesn’t need to understand every word to know that she's angry;

"That didn't sound...happy."

Natasha closes her eyes and tries to ignore, sighing when Alex starts to bark over the phone ringing. Her head falls, the sweat on her forehead meeting that on his chest when they groan with equal agitation.

"I should answer that."

"I can get it-."

"You'll break it, Vrach."

"I'm not as angry as you are."

She glares back over his response.

He shrugs, eyes shutting tight as he helps her move from off of him;

"Don't move, Bruce. I'll be right back."

Natasha grabs her silk purple robe, scolds her screaming dog and addresses the ringing device in the kitchen.

"What, Fury. Can this wait-...okay. I'm all ears."

And now Bruce is getting angry. He tugs the blanket from his waist up to his shoulder and then above his head. It's always work. If it's not her device going off at the worst possible moment, it's his. After being away from her for so long between their chaotic year and the constant missions she's had since, he's starting to lose his mind. 

He hears her step back into the room, she whispers,

"Bruce?"

He reveals his eyes, red, tired, and full of desire for his wife.

She smirks over his eyeballs and adjusts his hair, "I have to prep for a mission."

"Now?"

"Yeah."

"...Okay."

"Okay?!"

"Yeah. Okay,' he sits up with a swallow, ready to help as he searches for his pants, 'What do you need? Your uniform is in the living room, still drying from yesterday-."

"Ugh, stop. It's not until tomorrow afternoon,' she rolls her eyes, 'I was just testing you. I wanted to see what you'd do."

"And?”

"And you passed. So, maybe we can pick up where we left off? Before the phone started ringing and interrupting our moment?"

Banner is far more eager for her to return to his arms than to be mad over the idea of being 'tested'. Even if after everything they've been through, her lack of trust joking or not is definitely a trigger.

He ignores it tonight because she'll be off again soon. And a night of what feels like inevitably arguing doesn't sound appealing. So he throws the blanket and reaches for her waist instead;

"Yes please! Come here!"

Natasha giggles like a teenager over his eagerness to flip her underneath him. She bites her lip with a playful chuckle as her arms held firmly around his neck;

”Who put you in charge?”

* * *

The smell of a strong cup of coffee wakes Natasha from her deep sleep, comfortable in one of Banner's gray t-shirts. She tugs the bottom hem, opposite hand caught in her red hair as she stumbles into the kitchen;

"You made breakfast?"

He offers her a smile and slips a stack of two waffles in her direction;

"There's plenty more."

Romanoff sleepily pets Alex's head and sits on the barstool at their island, pleasurably sore from their intimate encounter the night prior.

She taps the marble countertop with her almond fingernails, humming contently over his surprise kiss.

He smells like his shampoo and shaving cream. Her eyes locate a few hickeys currently situated on the left side of his jugular; a deep purple bruise in the middle. It'll fade by the evening with all of his healing perks, but she's proud of it nevertheless.

Natasha takes up her fork and stabs at her meal, "Are you going to eat with me?"

"I have an early start but, I'll sit for a bit."

Bruce settles beside her, Alex's head laying in his knee as his tail thumps in a furious rhythm up against the island.

Natasha forces a bite to remain in her mouth, excessively chewy for her taste. He catches her action and swaps her plate with another;

"Sorry, this one has the eggs."

"Oh,' she takes a bite, 'Yeah, that's much better. Did Izabella tell you she wants to go vegan now?"

"She mentioned it. I didn't think she was serious about it," he plays with Alex's ears, watching the dog melt over a decent scratch.

Natasha rolls her eyes and points her fork, "If you got a carrot tattooed on your ass, she'd want one to match. Notice she's wearing a bit more purple?"

"It's her favorite color...?”

Natasha smirks sarcastically, "No. It's yours."

"What's your point?"

Her shoulder lifts, "I'd polish off your dancing shoes in case she invites you to father-daughter dinner at school."

"That's not a thing."

"Could be."

He crosses his arms, "Are you jealous? That she likes me more?"

Natasha twists her fork, biting the prongs, "Are _you_ jealous? Maybe over the fact that Garrett calls me 'Auntie' but you're still 'Dr. Banner'."

He scoffs, "Because he respects me."

"Uh huh."

"Look; The second Clint and Laura adopted Garrett I knew that kid would bond with you…that was a give in."

"Violet likes me better."

"Yeah, well."

"And Galina, and Amelia-."

"Exactly! So why can't I have one kid like me a little more?," he laughs.

"Because Izabella is my favorite," she takes one final bite.

"Eh eh eh! No favorites. Kids pick up on that. We learned this...the hard way.”

She leaves her plate in the sink and brushes off her hands. Her hips find his, straddling over him comfortably. Bruce runs his hands lazily up and down her back;

"I should go upstairs before Tony kills me."

Natasha hums, her arms around his neck, "I'll stop by the center to visit ‘our kids’ before I leave for my mission."

"Where to?"

"A drug lord in Mexico. Two days max."

He nods, eyebrows lowering, "Real quick, why'd you feel the need to drop that test last night?"

She scoffs, "It was a joke, Vrach."

"You sure?"

"Yes I'm sure."

His jaw twists, "Because I love you, a lot and I, you know-."

The redhead reaches to tug his curls, "I know. It wasn't a big deal, don't read into it."

"That's, kinda my job? To read into things?"

With a deep guttural moan she pecks his lips, "Go to work so I can prepare for my mission. I'll call you after I leave the center. Thanks for the coffee."

"I love you. Be safe."

She smiles.

* * *

"Anna!"

Tony scrambles, currently being screamed at by Pepper as the twosome search the floor.

Bruce enters cautiously, hand on the door as he watches.

Tony explains first, "Bruce! I lost Antonia."

His eyes widen, "You. You what…"

Pepper is in a panic, sitting on her heels, "He left her alone! On the ground! I'm shaking, Antonia?!"

Stark grumbles, crawling on the ground to check underneath the desks, "It's not my fault!"

"It is! You're so irresponsible with her sometimes!"

"She runs off when I turn around!"

"She's a year and a half of course she runs!"

A loud thunk makes the group pause in their diligently searching the lab, immediate silence to follow. Tony scrambles to the cabinet first and located his daughter playing with the office supplies inside of it. The young toddler is way too proud of herself, oblivious as to why her dad scoops her up so lovingly and plants a million kisses on her cheek.

"Daddy!," she giggles.

Bruce shakes his head, reaching over Tony’s shoulder to address the in her hands and carefully takes it away. He knows it's only a matter of time before the paper clip inevitably ends up in her mouth.

Pepper holds her heart, "Oh my baby. My poor baby, do you want 'mommy'?"

Tony protests, "No! It's my time with her."

"Tony-."

He addresses his daughter, "Who do you want to spend time with Anna? Mommy or daddy?"

She points, "Uncle!"

Bruce smirks, offering a goofy face that makes her laugh and quickly lowers his head due to the icy stare in Tony's eyes, "No, I said mommy or daddy. Pick one."

She quietly hugs her arms around him and plants a wet kiss on his cheek.

Pepper shakes her head, "There's no way I'm leaving her with you, it's a three hour meeting-."

"She got into one cabinet, Pep. It's not the end of the world. All the toxic ones are locked, no harm done."

"You're sure?"

"Positive. Go tug on them yourself."

"You'll keep the door closed?"

"Yes. It's okay, just go to your business meeting, I've got her."

"Tony…"

"Trust me with my daughter, please!"

"Alright,' she sighs, rubbing Antonia's back, 'I'm sorry, I just panicked."

He sighs next, hugging Pepper from the side, "Yeah me too. But I've got her, okay? I promise I’ve got her.”

"Alright,' she kisses her husband and her daughter next, 'She has a red gown upstairs for the gala later."

Tony nuzzles her small cheek, "Perfect! We'll be sure to share a chocolate ice cream as soon as she's dressed and ready."

"Ugh, no. Maybe Natasha can help her change?"

Bruce barely looks up as he puts on his glasses, recalling the big event he and Tony are presenting at later, "Um...she's on a mission."

Tony pauses, his eyes narrow, "Again? Really?"

"For how long," Pepper asks.

"She told me two days."

"So seventeen…," Tony mumbles. Bruce shrugs it off.

Pepper scratches her head and eyes her daughter, "Oh, well maybe Jane can do Anna's hair and get her ready."

Tony rolls his eyes, "Again! Trust me with my daughter! I can put a bow in her hair."

Pepper laughs, "Alright, alright! I love you, both of you."

Antonia blows her mom a kiss, squirming to be free. Tony shifts his daughter up over his shoulders to make her laugh, mumbling once Pepper leaves;

"You realize this is the third project reveal Natasha's missed-."

Bruce grins nervously, "I barely remember you mentioning this one, it's not her fault."

"I'm just saying; this is kinda your thing, it's a big deal for you. It's the O.G 'Golightly' on steroids. Is she mad at you-,' he gasps, 'Wait! Did you finally tell her about Betty's doppelgänger that you almost made out with back in-."

"No I didn't! Tasha's happy and it's not a big deal. We're fine. We're great. Let's just focus on the dimension research-."

"For Betty-."

"For us to help Izabella with her abilities," Bruce tiredly corrects for the hundredth time.

Tony reaches for and throws Banner's buzzing phone in his direction, "Heads up."

He catches it, scrolling through with his glasses on to read Natasha's message. It's not a phone call but at least she's fulfilled her promise of contacting him before shutting down the device;

'Boarding a flight. Need to shut my phone for the rest of the mission'

He sighs, checking the screen in front of him to track a test his already mid project on. He taps his phone and write her back quickly;

'Love you'

It rings next, displaying the name of an agent currently supervising the meta kids;

"Tony? I gotta take this."

"Center?"

"Yeah-."

"Another adoption?"

"Maybe. Don't touch my program!," he answers and slips into his section of the lab, shutting the door to his private office.

"I won't! Chillax bro," Stark releases his daughter to play on the ground with a toddler proof robot he's created for her.

"Olaf," she squeals.

Tony laughs, "Ha! I love you, I do. But I already made her pink against my wishes. So no, you're not naming it Olaf."

"Olaf!"

She has him wrapped around her tiny pinky finger. Whatever Antonia wants she gets.

"Okay, I know you're cute…Fine. Fine! You win," he caves, crouching to watch her play with his creation. He loves her to pieces and he'd do anything for his little girl...even agree to naming her personal artificial intelligence the dreaded 'Olaf' if it makes her happy.


	2. Parenting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony invites the Mikhailovs to take Natasha’s place at the gala. Natasha takes two of the girls out.

Bruce stays standing in the corner of the large catering hall. The high ceiling and echoing walls remain intimidating enough on their own without the presence of a million people. With his elbow on the table his focus stays low. The introverted scientist fidgets with a long stemmed glass between his fingers, twisting the base a consistent 30 degrees every two seconds. Banner has memorized the count of each teardrop shaped crystal in the centerpieces and exactly how long a dash to the emergency exit would take.

Bruce tugs at his tie when he sees Svetlana coming up from the back.

Stark waves and stands up taller to greet his invited company, "Lana!"

Banner wastes no time in gripping his friend's arm, "What are the Mikhailovs doing here."

The engineer brushes off his uptight companion, "You had open plus one. And Izabella is a nerd like us so she's going to love the convention. I thought we could inspire these kids- What? Nerves getting the best of you?"

"I don't like answering questions about Natasha when she's on missions. You know I can't keep a secret and Svetlana loves to push-."

"Vrach!," Izabella hugs Banner from the side, his eyes still glaring at Tony.

Brody greets the physicist next with a fist bump. Svetlana looks around the room;

"Where Natasha? Off again?"

"Yeah-."

"Where?"

"Mexico...er. Maybe."

"Why?"

"I...can't really talk about it."

"What the job now?"

Bruce gives Tony a look who wraps an arm around his shoulder when he whispers, "Point taken- We! Should get back stage."

"Hey,' Pepper gives Tony a kiss, 'Good luck!"

Brody gives Antonia a high-five, the young girl excited when Izabella lowers herself to Anna's level;

"I love you dress. Can I get hugs?"

Antonia eagerly complies, ready to chat up a storm with her young friend. Brody taps her shoulder, "Anna! What color is Izzy's dress? Do you know what color that is?"

Izabella opens her mouth, her eyes wide, "What is cousin Brody saying?"

Antonia moves to hug Izabella again, "Pu'ple."

"Purple," Brody corrects.

"Pu'ple,' the girl reaches for Izabella's hand, giddy for what she usually interprets as a magic trick, 'You do it!"

"Not now, Antonia. We can go watch Mr. Stark and Vrach," the older girl reaches to take Antonia's hand and Brody reaches for the other, leading their friend inside of the auditorium.

Bruce is shaking on the inside when he steps out on stage with Tony beside him. Stark has his presentation memorized but his antics and jokes are what gets the most audience interactions. He's quite comfortable in the spotlight- which is no surprise to anyone.

Banner looks out at the audience with a nervous grin. His eyes catch a small thumbs up from Izabella, giddy to see her mentor's accomplishments. Her smile takes away the stress. Without Natasha around, it feels good to know he still has a support system. This kid believes in him, looks up to him and only ever sees the good. And he wants her to be proud of him.

Bruce ignores the audience and flows through his script flawlessly as Tony's assistant, much calmer as the presentation continues.

Izabella trails him afterward, eager to explore the same vendors he is. Even through her broken English she has similar questions, the twosome practically sharing the same brain cell when it comes to anything science.

When she pokes at him to ask a question in Russian, Bruce is happy to translate and ask it for her. The vendor responds with a chuckle;

"Your daughter's smart. What do you want to be when you grow up?"

Banner scrambles to address the first part, "Oh she's not- my daughter- but she's smart, yeah."

Izabella holds her hands behind her back, head tilted with a smile, "Auntie wants me to be nurse."

The physicist shoves his hands into his pockets, "A nurse? But, you love chemistry, and biology..."

"You not like 'nurse'? But you medical-."

"Not. Well. No, I think it's great. I just think you should do what makes you happy."

She shrugs, a little upset until she points to another display. It's a new form of microscope that causes her eyes to light up, "Please translate Vrach?"

"One more and then we should really track down your family before Svetlana starts to panic."

She laughs, "Yeah, okay."

Tony is off at the opposite end, walking with Antonia in one hand and a glass of champagne in the other. He freezes in front of an aerospace display, looking down to spot Brody in complete awe. The boy has his head tilted up with his eyes wide. Tony laughs and quietly stands beside him;

"See something you like?" Brody nods quietly, still reading all he can. Tony's chest puffs proudly; "You know, I could probably get you into an aerospace engineering program if you wanted."

Brody finally speaks, "Mr. Stark-."

"Oh 'Uncle Tony', I insist. If your sister can call me-."

"How do I become a pilot?"

Stark huffs out a sigh, "So you just wanna fly around and reap the benefits of the hardworking creators, you don't want to create anything…"

"I think I wanna be a pilot."

He sips his drink, "I'll ask Rhodey and get you the info. No interest in engineering? Really?"

"Nah. That's more Izzy's thing."

"Different category-."

"I'm not a nerd- No offense!"

He sniffles with a grumble, "Yeah none taken. Help me Antonia, you're my only hope."

The girl is too busy pointing at a poster to acknowledge him, "Pink!"

Tony chugs the rest of his drink and scoops his daughter up into his arms, "You kids are killing me! There's thirteen of you at the center and I can't get ONE engineer!"

* * *

Natasha Romanoff's decision to take Riley out is only in part due to the younger girl twisting her arm. Of course, Linda must go wherever Riley goes 

After catching a last minute flight from Mexico back to New York, spending time with the kids isn't exactly at the top of Natasha's to do list but she finds it necessary to make time for them. Even if she’s anxious to get home and to see her dog and Bruce...possibly in that order.

She's tired and in no mood to answer Riley's every question. But the two girls seem to need a mood booster and Natasha is happy to oblige if it makes them happy.

Riley is playing with Romanoff's phone, taking selfies with Linda in the background.

Natasha shakes her head, seeing Maria's name appear along the top;

"Don't answer that-."

Riley refuses to listen and swipes down, "Hey Agent Hill! What up?! It's ya girl!"

Maria ignores, 'Where is'Natasha?'

Romanoff throws her head and snatches her device back with one hand on the wheel;

"I have Riley and Linda with me. What's up."

Maria pauses before responding, 'It's case 44.'

Her eyes lower, trying to figure out how best I answer his question with the kids in the car;

"...Fury has the photos."

'Can you talk?'

"Not with the girls around."

'I'll call you this evening. Fury is yelling behind me, did you report to medical?'

"Bruce checked me-."

Riley crosses her arms, "You're lying."

Natasha glares with her head tilted in Riley's direction, ready to strangle the mind reading meta beside her;

"Consent, Riley!"

'I'll check in later when you don’t have the kids.'

Natasha ends the call, pulls over to the side and puts her car in park;

"Okay. I'm only going to say this once. When the phone rings and I say, 'don't answer that', it means you do not answer the call. Yes?"

Linda nods. Riley lifts an eyebrow, her arms still crossed.

Natasha continues, "And when I say 'you have to ask for consent' before invading people's minds, let alone blurting out the contents, you need to do that! You ask for permission, or you will lose privileges. Do you understand me? This is not the first time we've had this conversation."

She's serious, her eyes spell out danger. So Riley nods.

Natasha sighs and puts her vehicle back in drive, “Okay! I need a coffee! What do you girls want?"

Riley scratches the back of her head, eyes down when she looks out the window with an incoherent mumble, "To get adopted."

Natasha's tone softens instantly, her lips parting with a gentle whisper. She's never heard Riley so emotional;

"What was that?"

The girl answers back with a calmer reply, "Iced caramel Frappuccino...Please."

The redhead bites her cheek, unsure of how to respond, "Linda?"

She's somber now too, "Same."

Natasha forces a smile "You girls know you can talk to me, right? And I swear, Bruce and I are trying really hard to find you a family."

Riley is still upset, "I'm just not wanted-."

"Riley, stop. You are."

Linda laughs, "And I'm a literal bomb, so. That's complicated."

"Girls, no."

Riley is shifting in her seat, "It's not like you and Dr. Banner even want us."

"I've told you and everyone else; us fostering any of you is a conflict of interest. And we can't have 13 kids. We're trying, I promise you we're trying. We want you to go to good families not just sign you off to the first few applications that come in. Ugh. If there's anything that would make you feel better-."

Linda sneaks a smile between the driver and passenger seats;

"We want you to visit as much as Dr. Banner does."

Riley laughs, "Yeah seriously. And like, if Jane doesn't stop by and Pepper is working we get stuck with the boys."

Linda mumbles, "Thor thinks we enjoy his weird Asgardian games. I mean it's cool but, it's getting old. We don't always want Clint's archery class either."

"And Laura is boring. And Steve is...boring."

Natasha holds her head, eyes wide as she tries to breathe, "Okay. I'll talk to Bruce about doing a scheduled program that everyone has to follow when they work with you guys-."

Riley looks over so seriously;

"And while we're talking about Barton, I want a new mentor. Garrett has poked me in the face with his damn bow for the last time."

Natasha tugs at her hair, "Okay. You'll start with Bruce and I this week- But! You know what that means; No poking, prodding, mind reading, or trying to bring out the hulk in any way. Yes?"

"I guess," she groans, wanting so badly to jump on the back of the big green the way Black Widow does.

"Linda?"

She shakes her head, "I'm good. Thor's a good mentor, I like him. Just don't like his team games."

"That's fair. And, we have movie night coming up. A few birthdays, that's fun, right?"

"We want more family dinners. With you and doc."

Natasha nods, "I think I can make that happen."

"More road trips."

"Maybe.”

”We wanna build forts. Like Tony does with us.”

”Build what?”

Riley scoffs, "Were you ever a kid?"

Natasha tilts her head thoughtfully; no birthdays, no family moments outside of those with Ivan. Spending a majority of her childhood with her 'sisters' before she was asked to turn on each of them.

With the shake of her head she brushes it off with a lie she knows Riley will attempt to read through; "Honestly, I don't remember my childhood. Must've, not been that interesting." She pulls up into the parking lot of the coffee shops, "Let's get our lattes. Mall after?"

"Yas! Queen!," Linda excitedly leaps out of the backseat.

Riley releases her seatbelt, giving Natasha a glance, "I'm sensing a lot of guilt, sorry for bringing up you as a kid- and for reading your mind."

"It is what it is.”

"I know you're older than me but I like you as a sister. You love me like a sister too, right?"

"Aww,' Natasha debates on asking for a hug, quickly changing her mind when Riley kicks her door open and scratches against the vehicle next to them, 'Ugh! Riley! 40 push-ups, now. Go."


	3. Married Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha & Bruce reconnect after a long mission. Steve hosts his team hour at the center.

Natasha waits for Bruce to step out of his shower, waiting at the door in her workout sweatshirt. She's panting still, all from her wrestle with Clint in the tower's gym. Since the wedding, he’s around a bit less and hardly at the tower- busy with Laura, Garrett, and their coming baby.

Natasha smiles when Banner exits;

"Hi."

He offers a quiet smile in return, moving to pick out his clothes for the day. She assumes he's mad based on the lack of communication. Bruce won't always talk about his feelings or his days as of late but the absence of a hug after a week apart doesn't leave Natasha feeling confident enough to even ask for one. She crouches at their bathroom cabinet for a towel;

"By the time I came to bed last night you were already asleep."

He tugs on a dark top, brushing behind her with a quick retort, “It was a busy day."

Her mouth contorts, noticing his tie out on their dresser;

"Do you have an event later?"

Bruce rolls up his sleeves, head low as he sits on the edge of their bed;

"Um...It was yesterday."

"Oh,' she tucks her head, 'I know those things make you nervous."

"Yeah,' he wants to share more, discuss the reveal and everything from that evening but she seems distracted, 'That, mission went longer than two days."

It's still on her mind, the week-long chase and long hours. Her knee hurts and her wrist is aching with a purple tinged bruise. Romanoff knows that's exactly where his eyes have landed when he asks if it hurts.

With an awkward shifting in her weight from off her sore right knee she finally speaks, "It's nothing."

He knows otherwise without needing her to elaborate. Natasha can't look at him which means she's done something bad in her own eyes, and probably his. She clearly needs to talk but her awkward movements signal nothing but discomfort.

"I missed you," he offers.

Her head nods as if it's an involuntary response, blinking excessively which means she's over analyzing.

"Talk to me, Tasha?"

"My mind is on those kids-."

"Abram has a meeting with a potential family at 12."

"That's good. Any, updates yet for Riley or Linda…"

Bruce huffs an exasperated sigh, "Not. Since the incident."

She bites her lip over the reminder of Linda almost blowing up a kind-hearted man and his partner. Though patient, they weren't too keen on Linda's lack of self-control or explosive abilities which ultimately scared them away.

And Riley's interviews have ended in equal disasters- more often than not because of the girl's lack of a filter.

"Have you called all of my contacts?,” Natasha asks hopefully.

"Not yet-."

"Why not."

He laughs, "I've been a little busy.”

Her hand tugs at the towel in hand, "So have I."

"I know."

"You're acting weird."

"Don't read into this,' he prefaces, 'With you away more often, it's been a lot on me honestly and I'm just tired."

Natasha hand waves with her defensive explanation, "I'm tired too. I've been working every other week."

"That's my point."

"So you don't like my job."

"I didn't say that. I asked you not to read into it…"

"So you’re annoyed. That I'm away so much...working."

With his top buttoned he moves to stand across from her, "I thought we were just talking."

"Me too," she moves to storm off to avoid.

"Don't walk away."

"Too late."

"Natasha, I see you're upset-."

"I'm not."

He follows her toward the bathroom, stopping the door from shutting on his face with a nervous chuckle, "Are you, really, seriously, going to lie to me."

She pauses, tilts her head and bites at her cheek, "I'll talk once you tell me why you're mad."

He waits patiently, watching as her gears start to turn. He shrugs;

"Look, I'm not mad at you. I just think it might be a good idea to ease up on the missions for a bit. The kids really miss you…Can I see your wrist?"

She scoffs, "No thanks."

"Nat,' his eyes narrow, she knows what's coming, 'What's on your neck."

"Clint and I were wrestling. You should see his bruises." He tries to gently move her hair from her neck, she pulls away; "Stop,' her eyes are as firm as her voice, 'I'm fine. Go, meet up with Stark for your dimension research."

"I will, once you talk to me."

"Bruce."

"Natasha."

"Go please. Betty's waiting," She knows how to push.

"What?!"

"You heard me."

He stops mid sentence with shock in his blushing stare, "Who told you."

"No one. I had a suspicion so thank you for the confirmation."

"Natasha. It's not what you think."

"Then why-.”

The knock on their front door is received with a sigh and a barking Alex. The couple moves to answer the door together. Tony and Pepper have arrived unannounced with Antonia in the middle.

"Brucie! Gotta ask you to do me a solid-."

Banner is barely paying attention, ready to close the door on his friend with a hand on Alex's collar to hold the excited shepherd in place, "It's really not a good time-."

Natasha answers with a wide smile over her face when she mumbles, "I don't know what he's talking about, it's a great time. Hi Anna, come here sweet girl. Can Auntie have a hug?"

The young girl bolts for the redhead, eager to be scooped into her arms.

Pepper clasps her hands, "We really need you guys to watch Antonia for a week, if it's not too much trouble."

"There's an emergency in Malibu and we could use the help. I'll commit to 8 shifts at the center next week if you guys can keep her in one piece," Tony adds.

Natasha rocks steadily, rubbing her small back, "Of course! We've got her."

Tony lifts a key, Bruce struggles not to roll his eyes and takes it with a flare. The look between them is enough for Stark to tap his shoulder;

"I'll call you when I land to go over work stuff."

"Mmhm."

"Car seat is on the kitchen table."

"Uh huh."

"Thanks man!"

"Yep!," Bruce forces a smile and closes the door on Pepper and Tony waving to their daughter who clearly prefers Romanoff at the moment. Bruce tossing the Stark's key onto the island when he calls above a whisper, "Natasha?"

She is facing away from him, busy with Antonia, "What."

"We need to talk."

"Okay."

"It just, felt weird telling you about...what happened-."

"Well you don't have to,' she whispers, 'Walls are thin. I've already heard most of what you've had to share on the topic. Bumping into someone who ‘looked just like her’..."

His head hangs, tongue over his cheek, "I wish you wouldn't eavesdrop and just ask me face to face."

"And while I am happy you can confide in Stark, I want you to confide in me...Like you used to," she looks over her shoulder.

He shrugs, voice low, "I don't want to burden you all the time. You just lost your father, Alexei, and you're working a ton."

She shakes her head, "You're not a burden. And meeting the doppelgänger of your ex? That's not something you wait a year to tell your wife."

"Yeah, I'm sorry. You're right."

"I know I am."

She's snarky, he's not in the mood, "But you don't have to worry, I swear nothing happened…"

"You’re going to tell me, you saw your ex and didn’t want to shove your tongue down her throat…"

He sighs, somewhat frustrated, "You were gone for months with yours! Are you serious going to say that! You have no what happened...I was confused. I didn't know what was going on."

"And all this,' she shifts onto her heels, 'Dimension research?"

"I'm not researching for...her. I'm researching for Izabella and how to help her with her powers. I don't want to dig up the past...I'm, finally at peace with it."

"Okay,' Natasha softens instantly, not wanting to engage further or pry for details, 'I love you."

His eyes flick up and lock onto hers. She's emotional with him but verbal expression isn't always her forte. When she's soft he soaks up every moment, "I love you so much."

She nods, bouncing the giggling girl over her hip. Bruce pushes his luck and the conversation, tugging at his fingers, "And your mission?"

Natasha has a lump in her throat but fair is fair, "Mexico was...Well I found a few more,' she spells to protect Anna, '...a few more b.o.d.i.e.s than I had the stomach for. But it's done, it's over."

"I'm so sorry,' he offers genuinely, moving closer to see Antonia and check on Natasha's more subtle twitches, 'What do you need?"

"Therapy," it's a half joke, one that neither of them can laugh at. She shrugs, "Or a bottle of vodka."

"What about a walk through Morningside?," he tugs at the back of his neck.

"As romantic as that sounds, it's complicated with Antonia,' she turns on her higher voice, 'Are you a complicated kiddo? Good thing you're cute."

"Holding, a 24 pound, child isn't going to help your broken wrist," Bruce reaches to take the girl, setting her free to play with Alex who is as excited to see Anna as she is to see him.

"It's not broken," Natasha twists her hand with a shrill, while Anna takes off in the opposite direction with Alex hot on her heels.

Bruce extends a hand, she caves and rests her wrist in his gentle hold. One firm press against her tendons with his thumb and he has his answer; "Ice it. The brace is in the closet. What's wrong with your knee? Is it your hip?"

"Nothing, it's fine."

"Tasha."

"I wrecked my knee cap."

"Okay; you should take it easy this month. I'll let Fury know."

"You make me angry."

He runs a hand through his hair, "Yeah I know."

"Good," She leans in for a nudge, interrupted by the insisting Stark child.

Antonia stands in front of the physicist, handing him Alex's tennis ball with a request, "Help throw it! Puppy run!"

Natasha smiles with a bit of sass, "Oh really. Does Alex want to play right at this exact moment?"

* * *

Steve is directing an art class as requested by one of the boys. In one of the large auditoriums, Rogers is boring the back row with his war stories. Linda has slapped her head against the edge of the sofa a total of eight times since the hour began, taking her rage out on the pencil as she turned her required landscape into a volcanic explosion.

Brody has a total of two lines on his paper, biting his eraser with his eyes wide. He's far too focused on Steve's rambling to pay any attention to the team building activity of the day; this art project.

Steve turns toward the clock to realize he's spent 45 of his 60 minutes busy sharing stories before he excitedly addresses his sketch;

"Anyways! Let's talk about shading-."

Abram raises his hand, "You mean what Riley throws."

Timothy raises a hand to offer a high-five, "Ooh! Shade! I get it."

"You guys are more petty than the girls are," Garrett isn't paying attention, working on a new cherrywood bow with Clint in the back.

Barton nudges his adopted son with a mumble and a point to refocus Garrett's attention, "They're irrelevant as shit. Smooth this part down, it's where your fingers are going."

Steve crosses his arms, staying friendly through his frustrations, "Agent Barton! I thought we agreed to do woodwork tomorrow and art today."

Clint ignores, focused on Garrett, "Move that lower-."

"Agent Barton?"

"Not now Cap. If you don't mind, I'm working with my boy."

Rogers exhales with a narrowing focus as some of his patience starts to slip, "Except you're my assistant for the day and it's art hour."

He nods, taking out his device to speed dial Romanoff, "Hey Nat? Am I required to follow Steve's program if he's got everything under control?...She said 'no'."

Steve closes his eyes and returns to the front of the room, exasperated when a phone goes off. He's blushing over the loud volume and visibly disappointed in half the room bopping along. The Captain throws his hands onto his hips;

"Now wait a minute! That is not appropriate for your age group. Who's phone is that?"

Riley lifts her device shamelessly. It's a power move with the room of kids teaming up against the one mentor.

Izabella bites at her lip, her closest friends Brody and Katina have their eyes wide and hands over their mouths.

A rubber band comes flying in from the back, snapping Riley's device from her hand and abruptly shutting the rap as it crashes against the desk. The girl whines and glares toward Barton;

"Ow! You hit me!"

He crosses his arms with complete disgust in his stare, "Get some self respect! Strike two."

"Ugh! You're not even my mentor anymore!"

"I am when Nat’s not around."

Steve tries to be threatening, wagging his finger with a calm voice, "Now you know, I'm going to have to write you up Miss Proctor, and I don’t want to have to do that.”

Izabella rolls her eyes, turning around in her position on the floor;

"Riley! Stop. You make everyone mad. We want to draw. You being rude!"

The kids quickly get quiet when the 'cool' girl makes her statement. Riley makes a face once Izabella turns around.

"I have arrived for activities! Who is ready to enjoy a fine night full of film?! To the theater!" Thor enters the room from the back with his hammer raised, Jane at his side with two screaming twins in her arms. Her hair is a messy bun, a young boy bouncing in her arms begging to run.

The kids all crouch to greet the Odinson twins, Agmundr bolts to Brody with a shy Agatha prefers to hide behind her father's leg the second Jane puts her down.

Jane Foster brushes her forehead, happy to hand off her children for the next hour;

"God I need a drink."

Barton laughs, watching Jane collapse in the chair next to her, "Don't look at me, I downed my flask an hour ago when Steve started talking like Bob Ross. ‘Happy clouds’ and shit.”

Agmundr breaks away from Brody, reaching for his mother with a repetitive call for "Mama."

She holds her head, "What? Why can't you play with Brody for a while?!"

"Mama!"

"Oh, my god Agmundr,' she cries, kissing his cheek, 'Mama is soooo tired!"

* * *

When the Perez family decides to drop off Violet for activities the next day, the dynamic in the center completely changes. Each of the kids adore their youngest original teammate and get a kick out of her speeding up and down the staircase and over and through the large hallways.

Of course she is greeted by Natasha first who heads up a non-competitive run with just the girls.

When Bruce is left with the boys and the youngest girls, he's glad to have Thor around to help patch up the walls and inevitable broken windows afterward. Books and science are the first half of the day, ending with a game of basketball head up by Thor and Clint in the gym.

Antonia needs to throw every shot even if the ball is the same size as she is. And somehow Thor has the energy to play, dodge and make baskets with his one year old daughter constantly in his arms.

When Clint shows up he brings a few new arrows to shoot in the courtyard. And Bruce likes Garrett enough to appease the boy by shooting around a bit. Even if he is closer with Natasha, Garrett is mature enough for deep conversations with Bruce, pointed questions about life, and about how excited he is for the little brother Laura is pregnant with.

The summer means having less of a schedule no matter how hard Natasha tries. Bruce is too busy with adoption meetings to keep Steve, Clint, Thor and Tony on track.

Pepper is the best about color coding spreadsheets and reports. Svetlana is second best when it comes to reports followed by Steve who occasionally forgets. The rest of the team is hopeless. Clint is fortunate if he can get through the day without reporting an injury. With Jane, he's lucky if she doesn't end up falling asleep on the job. The twins Agatha and Agmundr are far too draining and clingy for the young mom who is splitting her time between Asgard and Earth.

Banner's lab at the center might as well be openly accessible to Izabella who wanders in and out almost as much as Natasha does. The physicist's bookshelf is better than a library and she's gradually working through each one.

Bruce and Natasha gave her a key for her birthday but she'd never abuse her perks or betray the Banner's trust. It's admittedly a bit of favoritism justified as a 'birthday gift.'

She asks every time prior to use and is onboard with keeping things organized and in pristine condition.

Riley seems to be curious in science hour but she's never admitted to it and will never do so. Being too “nerdy” lowers her popularity rankings during the school year. Izabella might have the power at the center but at school, Riley has the edge. And she plans on holding onto her power. Even if it means completely flunking her favorite subject on purpose: Math.

Maria Hill's check in messages to the Banners go left unread every month. Bruce doesn't have the patience to inform SHIELD of everyday happenings at the center. When he does message, it's vague with limited information on the kids.

Natasha doesn't mind the reports as much but agrees with Bruce in keeping certain information within the center. She trusts Fury with her soul but she recognizes that he is not SHIELD as a whole. It's a fine line she intelligently navigates.

The real struggle for Bruce and Natasha is and has always been separating the center from home life; Keeping work at work.

All over the coffee table are sketches, codes and theories in neatly organized bins. Their home office whiteboard is an outline of Izabella's powers, various chemical tests and theories to try.

The bookshelf is a bunch of half read books on speed, how the mind works, bombs, hypnosis, lasers and the like. And if Natasha isn't putting Alex's toys away she's finding strays belonging to Antonia who spends half of her time in their apartment anyways.

When Bruce finds time to organize Natasha's coffee drawer alphabetically it's a miracle. For a couple that never sleeps, the fact that it is 1am remains irrelevant.

When the redhead steps beside Bruce to ask what he's doing he takes a minute to answer. Clearly overanalyzing her simple question.

He fusses with a keurig cup on hand trying to read the label, the rest of the box in his opposite arm;

"...I don't know."

She rests an elbow over his shoulder, head tilted over the color coding he appears to be doing subconsciously;

"Time for a refill on the caramel."

He points to the full orange section, "Not a fan of the pumpkin?"

She wrinkles her nose, "Nah. Not strong enough. Neither is a Latte."

Bruce stores the information, helpful for the next time he needs to replenish her stash, "Good to know."

Natasha reaches to fix the vanilla currently in the wrong section. He hands her the next in a makeshift assembly line. She finds it quite satisfying to watch the colors coming together, immersed in the seemingly mundane activity.

He has some corny joke for the middle green section. It's hulk related, something they both immediately regret laughing so hard over. Maybe organizing the coffee drawer wasn't at the top of her list of things to do once they got married, but it's cathartic to do something absolutely mind-numbing for a change with her live-in best friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have some super exciting news! I have opened up a collaboration of ideas with the wonderful, the fabulous, @mir_sawyer! I am so excited for you guys to see all of the ideas we’ve come up with going forward for this story and some others coming to you in the near future!


	4. Lucy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Starks bump into Jennifer Walters. Natasha finds a phone number in Banner’s coat pocket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks mir_sawyer for the suggestions, ideas, and beta read!!!

Jennifer Walters is the ultimate parent. She's the mom who everyone at Lucy's school wishes they had. She has the room for the fancy parties and fights for Lucile no matter how many times she's failed math class or landed in the principal's office last year. She saves every penny she makes to invest in two things; her home, and her daughter.

The teenage lover of all things theater, is currently killing it in her Friday afternoon session and of course Jennifer is there to watch. As per her agreement with the owner she is once again in her human form, against her wishes, and struggling to be tall enough for the observation window.

The eager mom has no problem pushing a much taller dad to the side with a halfhearted apology.

When Jennifer hears the teacher announce that the infamous Lucile Jameson will be bumped front and center yet again, she scrambles. Her eyes light up when she locates a step stool and pushes away that same irritating dad one more time.

Everyone in the community knows exactly who Jen is and in this particular studio they have a love/hate relationship. Walters is pretty sure there's a photo of her in the back with a huge red slash through it. She's a vocal dance mom who wants the best for her daughter who is easily the top student and the envy of the other families.

Jen cheers loudly when she spots her daughter and Lucy acknowledges her mom with a wide smile through the reflection in the mirror.

She's built differently from the other thirteen year olds. Solid and toned on the same workout regiment as Jennifer. Her face is built like her mother's with a naturally pouting lip and high cheekbones. Her ‘brown’ eyes almost glow a dark shade of gold, a unique feature no other kid in her school has. But she likes to stand out with her dark haired floppy banged pixie cut currently a shade of dark blue. She's on the shorter side, but full of personality. Especially when she's dancing, eager to make her mom proud.

Jennifer offers a thumbs up in response to Lucy's nonverbal cues to spotting her mother, just in time for the studio owner to show up with her nasally lecture;

"Ma'am? Mrs. Jameson? We can't have you blocking our hallway."

She addresses the woman without blinking, "I cover your rent at $85 per class, per month and Lucy is here every night for five and a half hours. So you can do the math. But we can go somewhere else if you're okay losing your top student and, oh, all those new families who started attending once recital ended hoping to meet she-hulk."

The woman sighs with a glare, "You signed a waiver before you entered the building. If you fall, you cannot sue."

She smiles, "You are so sweet. As a paying client I'd like to watch my daughter now."

"As long you don't scream-."

"You got this Lucy! Woah!"

* * *

After the class Lucy is quick to find her mother, large dance duffle over her shoulder;

"Mom! Did you see the combo?"

"I did and you were on fire."

She chuckles, brushing her bangs, "Thanks!"

Jen finds her keys, green painted fingernails tying her hair back, "You pack your swimsuit?""

Lucy nods, "Hell yeah! Is dad coming?"

Jen groans and starts her car, "Maybe. We're in the middle of a fight kiddo."

Lucy drops her head back against her seat, "Mommm. What'd you do."

"Nothing! Don't worry about it... I'm sure he'll show up."

"Whhhyyy."

Jennifer shrugs with her mouth open. She and Lucy might be mother and daughter but they're also best friends, "Don't get angry."

"Laughable. Seriously."

Walters sighs, blowing her bangs from her forehead, "Let's just enjoy our time at the beach."

"You need to apologize to dad. Like, now. Like-! I'm not gonna be able to chill all day until that's resolved."

"Okay! Okay. I'll call him as soon as we get to the beach."

Lucy crosses her arms, tapping the screen by the dashboard, "No! You're gonna do it now."

"Lucy-! You're going to piss me off."

It's a way bigger threat to the car than to Lucy, "Don't care."

John Jameson's voice comes in over the phone, 'What Jen.'

Lucy smiles sweetly, "Hi daddy!"

'Hi Lulu. How was dance.'

"Fine. I think you know why I'm calling. Mom wants to apologize."

Jen whips her head, "I do not! I'm always the one who apologizes first."

'Oh my god. I'm at work-.'

Lucy interrupts, "Dad. Mom. You're being dumb. Work it out."

"Fine-! Fine. I'm sorry John. I'm sorry your mother didn't teach you not to leave socks on your bedroom floor or how to organize anything-."

John is laughing on the opposite end. Lucy is taken back when she looks at her mom with her own laugh;

"Wait! This is why you two are fighting…?!"

John calls out, 'Because I didn't put my laundry away your mother is all she-hulk mode ready to knock the helicopters out of the sky like Godzilla.'

"Don't you mean 'King Kong'?," Lucy corrects.

'Queen Kong.'

"And that was the worst, like, dad joke you've made this week."

'Is your mother laughing?'

Jennifer ignores, stubbornly finding her feud completely justified. Hearing her family all laughing around her is contagious, finally breaking into a smile.

Lucy mumbles, "Mom's being mom. We both know she thinks you're hilarious. Are you coming to the beach?"

"Probably not, sorry."

"It's cool. See ya later dad!"

"Have fun! Love you girls," John's squeaky voice when he blows Jen a kiss gets Lucy's mother to crack, abruptly ending the phone call with a huff.

* * *

Out on the sand, Jen prefers to lounge and read. In her flashy green sunglasses and palm tree swimsuit she gossips with a friend on the phone while Lucy attempts to navigate the boardwalk. Her swimsuit is green to match her mother's, content to meet up with a friend to talk Broadway and try out her new longboard.

When Jen's call ends she tilts her head back, hiding underneath a wide fashionable hat and preps for a nap.

"Hey! It's Greenie!"

The voice instantly makes her blood boil, jaw clenched when she mumbles to herself, "Sweet Jesus- you've got to be shitting me…"

She forces herself upright, plastering on a fake smile as she stands to extend a hand to greet Pepper first.

Tony butts in and insists on a hug, "What are you doing here?"

"Yeah. I kinda live here. What are you two doing in Cali," Jen's fake laugh and sarcasm filled response makes Pepper visibly cringe.

"Well I half-live here myself, got the houses to check in on,' Tony retorts, 'What have you been up to since Russia?"

"Working. Currently crossing my fingers that you're not here to recruit me because my cousin did something stupid."

Pepper tucks an arm under Tony's elbow, "No, no. We just decided to walk the beach-."

Stark laughs, "Not like you can hide anywhere- big and green and all that."

"Tony,' Pepper coughs, 'Is it just you today?"

Jen waves her hand, scanning the boardwalk, "Lucy's somewhere. She found her friend so they ran off...how's New York? How's your little one?"

Tony instantly reaches for his device to find a picture, proud of his angel, "My beautiful baby is amazing. I'll show you- she's gorgeous and she's so smart."

Pepper smiles, "She's good. We dropped her at Bruce and Nat's for the week."

"They needed more kids to watch."

Jennifer nods guiltily, "Haven't heard from Bruce in a hot minute- I should shoot him a message."

Tony laughs, "Listen! He doesn't even text me back so I don't know why he'd write you-."

"You live together. So,' she shoves her book into her bag, 'Did all of those kids get adopted?"

Tony counts, "There's about thirteen still at the center. We ended up discovering two more kids that just got their powers. I think one is getting adopted out next week."

"From Russia?"

"No! Jersey. Ha! I know right. So weird."

Jennifer touches her face nervously, shifting slightly, "Just. Out of the blue? Woke up one morning sort of thing…?"

"Pretty much! Yeah. Weird. Anyways, they're fun. Annoying but. They're fun. Hey! Can I buy you a drink or two? While we're here?"

Jennifer sighs, preferring her solicitude over any socializing, "You know what! Sure! Why not. There's a great apple martini my buddy Everett makes up on the dock."

"You know my bro Everett!"

"Uh huh,' she snatches her coverup and wallet, 'So. Tell me about these...miraculous meta children, I'm curious. Were their parents you know, did they have abilities by chance…"

Tony goes to wrap his arm around her, feeling short when he can't reach her opposite green shoulder, "GURL! You want ALL the tea! Were you a mean girl in high school? Cliquey Karen?"

Pepper walks behind them with an embarrassed blush, "That's not a thing."

"It absolutely is Pep, don't judge me."

* * *

Natasha is on the verge of an inner explosion as she walks in larger strides to the lab. Her shaky fingers are toying with a paper. The phone number and the note are enough to set her off into a full blown raging fit, even if the spy side of her wants to hear him slip up.

She debates on what to call him as her heartbeat pounds in her head. 'Robert' might be going a bit too far knowing how much he hates it and the trauma it brings to the surface of his sensitive memories. Her thoughts switch back to being overly kind, maybe calling him 'honey' and 'sweety' would get him to shake a bit-she really only does so sarcastically.

Natasha's hand finds the doorknob, her eyes fixating on the paper when she walks into his space.

Bruce's kind greeting goes in one ear and out the other, stepping back when he tries to hug her. She lifts the page as all of her plans fly out the window;

"What is this," she asks sharply.

He squints, trying to read the paper she pulls away next, "I don't know-."

"What. Is this," she asks again.

He sighs, "Nat, I can't see…"

She starts to storm off, pivoting around the room, "Bruce! Banner!"

"Let me read it! You keep walking away-."

She puts on a fake smile, "Oh honey, I'll read it for you."

Bruce scoffs with his eyebrows raised, crossing his arms. He leans up against the wall. 'She's mad' is the understatement of the century that both Hulk and Banner seem to have just settled on in the back of his mind. If it weren't for the threatening look in her eyes, he'd find her blushing adorable.

Natasha clears her throat and lifts the paper, "Dr. Banner, it was so nice to finally connect with you! Congratulations on your Golightly project. Call me! X.O…..X! O?!"

Bruce can't help but start chuckling, his head falling forward. Romanoff shifts her weight, half ready to slap him when her voice tenses, "Who. The hell. Is Lynn."

He tries to stop the laughter, breathes and makes eye contact, "Where did you get that-."

"I swear I'm going to punch you."

"Okay, okay. Tasha, easy."

"I'm gone for one gala-."

"You've missed about four but-."

"-And you're flirting with, who the hell was it,' she double checks the paper, 'Lynn?! What was she, some science nerd-Was she a brunette- you have a weird thing for brunettes in lab coats-."

Now he's getting upset. He offers a calm response, "Natasha, stop. Please. First of all, Lynn is a guy-."

Romanoff's spy training fails her, eyes widening in surprise, "I didn't see that coming...with Tony maybe-."

"Natasha, honey. Let me finish. It was a vendor. A vendor who could help Izabella Mikhailov, get into the math, science and engineering high school. Svetlana and Izabella are not on the same page with her future right now so I wanted to give them some options...Lynn was a recruiter, looking for new talent. I took the number so that I could get more information and bring it up to Svetlana in a week or so...okay?"

Natasha looks him directly in the eye, her arms still crossed tightly. Now her heart is pounding from a bit of embarrassment, she mumbles an, "Oh."

"Yeah,' he breathes and dares to step closer, 'If you don't believe me, you can call him yourself. Okay?"

The blood in her head is still rushing, sinking slowly backward onto the bench behind her. He sits at her side, brushing a gentle hand over her shoulder when he asks, "Are you alright?"

She reaches to run a hand through her hair. She takes a breath, "Fine."

He tugs at his fingers, elbows over his knees, "I think, as much I don't want to, I think- we need to talk about Elizabeth. This isn't the first time I've heard a dig-."

"I don't want to-."

"Neither do I. But. You're just going to keep snooping through my pockets, tablets, reports and computer if I don't."

"I'm not-."

"There was a login at 3am. I saw it, Tasha,' she hides, hugging her elbow, 'It's okay."

"It's not, Bruce…"

"Okay. Talk to me, please-."

"-I'm upset. I lost, everything, last year. Clint moved out, I shot Ivan, and lost Alexei. And I keep having this nightmare that somehow you're next. I've lost you so many times... I dream you're off in New Mexico and I can't get a hold of you. I have this recurring nightmare of you, of us, on that bridge in Russia with that pistol in your hand and I'm too late. Last night it was you leaving me because...she was back. It's petty. Maybe it's immature. But that's what's going on. You asked me to talk to you, I'm talking to you. And I don't want to talk about it anymore."

He nods, biting his cheek as he tries to listen, "I appreciate you telling me. That makes a lot of sense."

"No it doesn't-."

"Yes it does. We had a rough start. And being back home with the dust settling- in a way... You're waiting for it all to get flipped inside out again."

She looks up at him with her eyes wide, tugging at her elbow. She hands him the paper, "Sorry."

He moves the paper to his desk behind them, gently rubbing her back, "I love you. Do you, maybe, want to ask me anything? I'm here if you want to talk. I'm just running a program."

"For the alternate dimensions."

"Don't! Say it."

"Say what," Natasha just shakes her head. She can't think at the moment and she's in no rush to move. A smirk spreads over her features when she huffs a laugh through her half joke;

"It's Svetlana I should be keeping an eye on, isn't it? Pretty sure she's waiting for me to die to snatch you up-."

"Don't! No," Bruce can't help but brush a hair from off her cheek and behind her ear. Her joke hurts too much to laugh back.

"Phone,' she reaches to grab his device. 'It's your cousin."

"Jealous of her too? Good thing you didn't find the other numbers-."

"What other numbers…"'

She lifts a hand to semi aggressively nudge his shoulder as he answers the call and playfully pushes Natasha back, “Hi Jen."


	5. Western Winds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s adoption day at the center and some of the adults are having a hard time with it. Jen and Lucy drop in unannounced.

"Oh my god oh my god, is that a wrinkle?!"

"You dingbat, you're twelve! Let me see it!,' Riley grips her friend's chin, 'You just slept on your face, you weirdo, chill!"

Linda reaches to steal Riley's stolen makeup, a successful mission last time Tony invited the terror twins to the tower, "I gotta look abso-frickin-lutely purr-fect for my new fam."

Riley rolls her eyes and digs through the stolen stash for a lipstick, "You don't need the looks- you got the personality. Also, don't forget, if they want a second child, you tell them all about how wonderful yours truly is."

"Aww, Riley,' Linda pouts and wraps her arms around her best friend, 'I'm really gonna miss you. So so so so much."

The other girl wrinkles her nose, "Don't you get sappy on me, chic!"

"Did it have to be Oregon? That's soooooo far away. I can't even keep training here like Violet and Nelli!"

Riley waves her hand, a professional at hiding emotions, "Eh, it's overrated."

Linda sassily throws her friend a glare, hand on her hip, "I'm not the mind reader here, but I know you're lying."

Natasha calls for Linda and Riley pushes her forward, "Go, get out of here. I'll meet you downstairs."

"Are you serious about coming to visit?"

Riley reaches for the makeup brush with a laugh, "Obviously. As long as you don't blow up your new house."

"Yeah girl! Wait-. What did you say?"

Natasha smiles, giving Riley one more glance. Adoption days are always bittersweet, "Are you girls coming down to the team party?"

She nods, "In a minute."

"Did Thor make me a cake? I'm only going if Thor made me a cake!," Linda points firmly.

Natasha laughs over Linda's request, "That was Steve's job. But Thor is here-."

"Yasss!"

The redhead offers Riley a knowing glance, watching as the girl shuts down all emotion and tugs at her tank top;

"Are you alright?"

Riley scoffs, "Yeah. Totally."

"I'll miss Linda too-."

"I won't."

Natasha rolls her eyes, watching Riley step out ahead of her.

* * *

Clint snaps when he sees Laura up on a ladder;

"What are you doing?!"

She waves him away, contently taping her sign;

"You do you Clint."

Jane moves in from the other room when Barton's yell catches her attention. She huffs a laugh, passing her toddler off to the archer before yelling at Laura herself;

"Get down here, I'll get it."

Agmundr screams. Clint almost drops the child when a shudder crawls up his arm, "I think your kid just electrocuted me. That hurt."

Jane grumbles, having exchanged places with Laura, "Agmundr! I'm right here. You'll live. Clint, I'm so sorry. Thor is trying to train him into a mini-me."

"How is the separation anxiety?," Laura offers her finger to the toddler, trying to play with him, standing beside her husband.

Jane sighs heavily. Clint scoffs, "She's right there and he's screaming."

"Agent Barton?,' the archer pivots to address one of the kids, seeing her holding two different gift bags, 'Is Natasha more of a black or pink kinda girl?"

"Not pink."

"Cool," she runs off quickly.

Steve enters through the front doors, a tray full of elegantly designed cupcakes in hand, "Agent Barton, Mrs. Barton, Mrs. Odinson."

Laura admires Rogers' work, "Oh my gosh. Did you make these?"

He nods with a friendly smile, "I did. I found a simple recipe on a tweeterinbook post."

"...Pinterest?"

"Maybe. Maybe that was it," Steve nods politely, appreciating how extremely kind and patient Laura is with him due to his lack of social media knowledge.

Clint laughs. Jane rolls her eyes. Laura brushes off the peanut gallery;

"Well they look great."

Tony passes through the hallway with a tablet, serving only to encourage poor Steve's confused, "Ooh. Cupcakes. Found those on twitterist?"

Rogers gives an enthusiastic nod to address Stark, "Yes! That's what it's called!"

"Troll much," Jane coughs, coming down from the ladder.

Bruce is walking by when Abram demands his attention for a handshake, the latter insists on performing each morning. Banner smiles and shoves his notebook off to the side in order to participate enthusiastically. He mumbles softly;

"We'll miss you around here."

Abram shrugs. He doesn't like anything emotional,

"Is my new family here yet?"

"They called, they're just running a few minutes late. Which, according to my rules, makes them lose a point or two- but you seem to like them. So they'll get a pass."

Abram laughs, shoving his hands into his pockets. Bruce moves to walk after Tony, flipping the young boy's hat to the side to make him laugh on the way.

Nina runs from the back, stopping in front of Natasha with her extended arm holding Clint's recommended black gift bag, "Here."

Romanoff gasps with wide eyes, "Oh, for me? That's so nice. Can I have a hug."

Linda sighs, tugging her braid, "Was I supposed to get you a goodbye gift."

"No, but Bruce and I have one for you in the cafeteria. Don't forget your gloves!,' Natasha hugs Nina and holds her hand, leading Linda behind her, 'You both holding up okay?"

Linda shrugs, "Feels weird to be leaving. This feels like home."

She smiles solemnly. Two is the most they've had in a day and Natasha usually disappears after to be alone. Three in one day feels like a complete emotional rollercoaster.

Tony's words trigger a heart tug when he freezes, eyes wide and his voice soft, "Aw no. Nina too?! All my kids are leaving!"

The little one might be emotional when she hugs Stark but Linda is too busy looking for her own, "Where's Thor?"

The demigod smiles with his own introduction, excited to see his favorite and wish her well on her 'journey'.

Steve waves down Natasha who isn't exactly in a conversational mood, "I brought the cupcakes."

"Did you bring a date?"

He laughs it off, "Funny, Romanoff. Can I do anything else."

She shakes her head, lips pursed. Rogers shifts uncomfortably, wanting to help cheer up his sad teammate but unsure of how to go about it, "It's a good thing-."

"I know," she cuts him off, ready to move on.

"Violet's here," Clint announces, as if somehow telepathically he knows Natasha will be happier with one of her favorites around.

Izabella is steadily trailing alongside Banner, doing anything and everything he needs help with. She's waiting for her next task when the doorbell rings. Leaping at the opportunity to answer, she pivots instantly and moves from his office through the noisy hallway and to the large doors. She unlocks the front with Banner's passcodes- he can never be too safe and when it comes to the Center, he's a bit excessive about the security measures. Thanks to his paranoia and Stark's engineering, it serves to be the most secure complex in New York City.

Izabella answers with a smile, vaguely recognizing the large green figure at the door with her flashy sunglasses and green pocketbook;

"Hey girlfriend! Is Doc around?"

She points, "Um! Yeah! Follow maybe."

Lucy is mesmerized when she enters, a large backpack slung over her shoulder and held up by her two fingers. She snaps her gum;

"This place is sick!"

Izabella offers a hand to the younger girl;

"Hi! I’m Izabella."

The Jameson girl snaps her gum, analyzing the figure standing opposite her, "I'm Lucy. Wait, you do that, sick thing with your hands. The hand thing-Mom told me."

Izabella tucks her extended palm, clasping her fingers in front of her, "Yes-."

"Can you do it? Like, now."

"Well, no."

"Boring! You gonna show me 'round?! Never been here. Woah! Is that-! Mom, it's Mr. Stark!"

Jennifer groans, "Suddenly you care?! You met him at the wedding-."

"I know but I was young and stupid then! Like-!"

"Jen!' Bruce gasps, taken back in complete shock to see his cousin in the hallway, 'What are you doing here?"

"Eh,' she reaches to give him a long hug, 'I was bored. Finally had a weekend off and thought Lucy and I would check in on you. I hope it's not inconvenient- we got a hotel-."

Tony invaded the conversation, "That's dumb. You're staying at the tower."

"We're fine, really."

Natasha moves in and enjoys a typically emotional Jennifer Walters bear hug.

The She-Hulk lifts her sunglasses, "What's going on, what's happening-."

"Oh it's, just adoption day. We have three of the kids moving out," Natasha answers casually.

"I see. Hi Steve," she waves and Rogers moves to join the group up front.

Bruce tucks a hand in his pocket, "What- I mean, I'm happy to see you I just-."

She nudges his shoulder, "It's summertime. Thought Lucy would enjoy a weekend in the big apple. You remember how we'd spend summer together! We'd sit in that-."

"-Hot and gross library-."

"Wellll past closing-."

"Aunt Susan freaking out."

"Was she ever not freaking out?"

"Well-" He'd defend his guardian til his dying breath, even if she was a little odd.

"May she rest in peace,' she mumbles, feeling immediately guilty for insulting a dead woman, 'I missed you Doc!"

He can tell she's withholding. Bruce is happy to see his cousin but between the random phone call earlier in the week and a surprise visit, he knows something is up. She's clearly uncomfortable elaborating with the small mob that surrounds them so he tries to put his curiosity aside, "Well I'm happy to see you and Lucy."

"Yeah! Don't mind us. It sounds like this is a really big day- I'm so sorry I didn't know-."

"It's okay-."

Natasha smiles and points to Lucy's hair, "I like the blue."

The girl smiles back, trying to be cool even if she wants to run up and down the halls and explore every room, "Thanks! Is your red real? Just curious-."

Romanoff scoffs, "If you consider a permanent physical change as a result of superserum and chemicals real-."

"Obviously! Like! Do you not see my mother..."

"Okay, then yeah. It's real."

"Cool! That's sick."

Izabella looks toward the physicist, much calmer and quieter when she questions, "'Sick'...?"

Tony answers for her, "She means 'it's cool', 'it's great,' 'it's awesome'-. We need to go party it up! There's a spiked lime soda in the cafeteria with my name on it."

"Tony!," Steve glares.

"Who can give Lucy and I a quick tour? I haven't seen this place yet," Jen asks with a smile.

Rogers offers, "I can. This way Bruce and Natasha can focus on the adoptions-."

"Actually, I wouldn't mind hosting a tour. Steve you can help Bruce for a minute can't you?," Natasha pivots abruptly.

"Of course…"

Bruce tugs his curls and checks the tablet in his hand, "Do you-mm." The optimistic grin and eagerness in Rogers to help reminds him of Izabella; well meaning but not entirely necessary. He scrambles for a job, "Here, can you hold this? And. Izabella, can you maybe, help show Lucy around?"

He turns to head back to his office, trailed by the Captain while the Mikhailov girl catches up with Natasha.

She's eager to elaborate on the details of the technology, smiling when the group bumps into a dejected Riley. Izabella introduces the twosome but Riley just crosses her arms;

"So what are you some, kid-hulk? Is that why your eyes are weird."

Lucy laughs and tugs at her fingers, "Actually I'm just a dancer. No cool powers or anything- what do you do?"

"I read thoughts. Feelings."

"Woah! That's sick,' she drops her bag, 'Okay okay! I'm thinking of a number between 1-10 go!"

Riley rolls her eyes, "That's not how it works."

"Okay! So..! What am I feeling?"

The girl stammers, for the first time unable to breach the mind of the half stranger in front of her. Stubbornly she makes up her answer on a whim;

"You're weirdly excited to be here. You probably have some hyper, can't pay attention thing-."

"I LOVE YOU! That is so on point! O.m.g, like! Sick!"

"What's sick?," Violet sneaks up behind Izabella.

Garrett crashes next with Brody and it's back to introductions.

"Yeah,' Riley shifts, 'My best friend is kinda getting adopted today so I'm gonna go to her party, now? Weird, strange, borderline Valley girl-."

"Bye! Nice to meet you!,' she pivots to Izabella, 'Everyone here is so chill. I'm totally digging this vibe. What's your deal Brody?"

"Laser vision. You're probably nerdy like your family, wanna see my glasses?"

Lucy bounces, "Actually! I failed fifth grade, like, five times- not five Thea but- but! I bet they're awesome."

Izabella lifts a fearful eyebrow over Lucy's scholastic confession. Brody just laughs;

"Never heard of that in my life,' he points to the patches on her backpack, 'Is that your mom in a witch hat?"

"Ha! No. That's Elphaba."

"Elphaba?"

"Wicked…?! Seriously?! The best show on Broadway? You're in New York, how do you not-! KNOW! The legend-! And now you're all looking at me like I'm the insane one,' Lucy breathes through her teeth, 'Anyways! Garrett right?"

The boy nods, addressing her camo sweats, "Nice pants- sorry that was weird-."

"Thanks dude!" Izabella huffs a laugh, not expecting Lucy to drape such a firm hand over her shoulder and be so overly friendly, "What's your deal Garrett?"

"My dad's, my adopted, adoptive? Whatever, he thinks I'm good with a blue- a bow."

Brody slaps his forehead, "Tongue tied my brother?!"

"Maybe if you didn't keep me up so late to game!"

"You live in the woods! When you have WiFi, we need to use it to the fullest!"

Lucy listens when Jennifer yells down the hall, releasing Izabella, "Whoops. Mom wants me. Aunt Nat! Wait up! We're falling behind here…!"

* * *

Natasha has her head down, pausing in her clean up. She's in the corner nibbling on her own crumbled cupcake. With Clint and Thor outside entertaining the kids, Bruce offers her a smile and sits beside her;

"You okay?"

Her eyes flick up and then back on the clump of chocolate between her fingers.

It's a modern space and the air is turned up on high due to the 80 degree weather outside. Her jaw twists with a laugh,

"I want them to go and grow and move on. I'm just being selfish. And I think seeing Riley's reaction set me off...Clint dropped off a Vodka, that's what's in my water bottle in case you're curious why I smell like an alcoholic pineapple."

Bruce looks over, shaking his head over Barton's gift, "I love how much you love these kids. How they mean a lot to you."

She glares, her mouth full, "You're going to sit there and tell me you didn't cry when your buddy Abram walked out the door?"

"They mean a lot to _us_ , better?," he chuckles over the need to correct the pronouns.

She fiddles with another crumble, "What's going on with Jen?"

"I don't know,' he tugs at his fingers nervously, 'She wants to grab dinner with me, just the two of us if that's okay-."

"Are you asking me if I can watch Lucy?"

"No, actually she's hit it off with Izabella, so Svetlana is going to take Lucy with them to a movie."

"Your other wife,' she reaches for the vodka, smirking over his glare, 'I'll see what Clint is up to. Do you think Lucy has powers?"

He's thinking, head pulled all the way back against the wall as they sit on the white wooden bench, "I don't know. Do you think that's what's going on? That she wants us to train her?"

She shrugs, "Would you?"

Banner answers abruptly, "Not if she's a hulk. I told you from day one, I was not going to have that, not here with the other kids."

"You let Jen in."

"That's different."

"Well,' she nods, "It is Jen's daughter we're talking about. I don't think she'd be too out of control."

He reaches to tug behind his neck, biting at his cheek, "She's loud- Have you met her mother?"

Natasha laughs, "I've been way too nice in giving you the quiet ones."

"I like nice-."

"You're taking Riley this week...Lucy would definitely push you out of your comfort zone."

"I don't see it-."

"I do."

"If that is what Jen wants, I'll do it. I mean this is all speculation right? You're the spy, you tell me."

She shakes her head, "I have a pretty good intuition that's exactly what's going on."

Natasha pauses her chewing to check an incoming message on her phone. Her nose wrinkles in immediate confusion, unable to respond when Bruce asks for clarification.

"Maria just texted, 'News from SHIELD headquarters, pause all adoptions effective immediately.'"

"What does that mean? Why?"

"Hold on,' She swipes upward, quickly standing to make a call, '...she's not answering."

"Try Fury?"

"I’m on it...go catch up with Jen. If it was an emergency, they would’ve called. We’ll talk later.”


	6. Protocol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jennifer talks with Bruce about Lucile. Clint and Natasha seek out Fury for information.

Bruce is sitting on the floor of his and Natasha's apartment, talking with Jen when he finally cuts to the chase;

"So, what's really going on."

"I want you to help Lucy," she says, almost in a whisper, with her head down.

"Help how?"

After four hours of sitting there together, catching up and reminiscing, she's still hesitant to blatantly explain her dilemma to her cousin. By now, her uneasiness in the "Lucy" topic isn't a secret to Bruce.

Walters runs her green tinged fingers up through her dark hair, her eyes still looking down, "Well. For starters; I think she might have powers."

Bruce twirls his glass, acknowledging Alex when he comes over and pushes his nose into Banner's shoulder, "Are we talking, green and angry powers? Or…"

"I haven't seen any physical changes manifest themselves due to tantrums, tears, happiness- she's just a normal girl."

"But?"

She smirks nervously, "But her dad is a wolf and I'm...you know; this fabulousness. When I met Tony at Manhattan Beach and he told me about the Jersey kids, it made me wonder. And I don't trust her with anyone but you. If anyone can figure out if she has abilities- that's you."

He clears his throat, chugging the rest of his water with his eyes looking at the glass, "I don't really love the idea of testing on her just because you think something might be wrong."

Jen opens her mouth, turning toward her cousin but stops- He looks triggered, thinking about his father and other previous tormentors. She shakes her head;

"Aww Doc, it's so much more than testing her. I love my daughter and I want you to love her. She doesn't know you, I'd like for you two to, you know bond. You're the only other family she has outside of her father and I. You're it. She doesn't have anyone else. If anything ever happened to John and I there's no one I'd trust more than you and Nat. I could get hunted down and shot at by a disgruntled client-."

"Don't talk like that."

"My point stands; I think she should know her guardian."

He's quiet when he thinks, lifting an eyebrow, "What is she into?"

Jen clasps her fingers and laughs, "Um...she likes dance?"

"She can bond with Nat over that. Does she like to read?"

She bites her cheek, suddenly afraid of his incoming questions, "Casting calls?"

"So no books."

"Some, books. She's not, the, 'straight A student I thought I would have...apparently John was the anti homework prankster his daughter is.”

"Okay," he smiles nervously and lowers his chin.

"-Just. Give her a chance. For me? I think maybe being away for the summer might be good for her. Let her see that she has, family, outside of just her dad and I. Whether she has powers or not."

He nods, understanding how much this means to Jennifer. She wraps a larger arm up and over his shoulder. Alex runs to the door to greet the incoming Lucy and Izabella once Bruce answers the knock on the door with a "Come in!".

Mikhailov knows exactly where to find the apartment, and ensures that Lucy finds it with no problem. She waves and the girls hug 'goodbye'. Jen addresses her daughter who is playing with Alex;

"How was your movie?"

"Great! How was dinner with Uncle B?"

Bruce makes a face and looks at Jen, unsure if he likes his nickname, he whispers "'Uncle B'?"

Jen shrugs, narrows her stare and looks at her cousin, "I don't know, how was it?"

He sighs and offers a smile, "Educational."

Lucy steps forward hopefully, "Annnndddd? Did mommy talk to you about me, mayyybeeee...staying….?"

Bruce throws his head back into the cabinets underneath the sink, "I guess, you can stay for the summer, I just need to talk to Tasha-."

"YES! Oh my god! Thank you! You will NOT regret this, I am so ready to help out at the Center and I swear you won't even hear me in the mornings, I'm so stealthy-."

"Lucy," Jen waves her hand, urging her daughter to calm down and lower her volume.

Lucy takes an inhale and whispers toward Bruce as the two awkwardly make eye contact, "Sorry! I guess you like it zen. Mom likes it loud- oh my god I'm so excited! Can I hug you? Are you a hugger-?!"

"No-," before he can finish Lucy has ducked in on the other side of Bruce, hugging him fiercely.

"Yes, he is,' Jen yells, 'Group hug!"

The front door reopens soon after with a familiar CEO and her husband mid ramble. Tony stands with Pepper, Antonia on the hip as she twirls her keys and greets a barking Alex.

Stark tries and fails at stopping a snort over seeing his friend on the floor of their kitchen sandwiched in a smothering embrace from the two girls. He looks so small when he's not his greener half.

Tony moves forward, "We lost Anna's sleeping blanket. Any chance it still exists or has it become Alex's new chew toy?"

* * *

"Who does she think she is,' Natasha yanks the handle on Clint's car door, climbing inside with a huff as she goes on her rant, 'Maria can't make a call on this. It's my project, it's my mission!"

Clint's correction is soft as he starts his car, watching the upset redhead tugging to lower his broken window, "I didn't realize being second would go directly to her god damn head."

"It's not her call!”

”You need to get a hold of Fury."

She bites her cheek, "You don’t think he’s actually in Hawaii either..."

"It's boggess. If Fury went anywhere he'd call you first, the badge on Hill's jacket doesn't matter."

"I've been trying for 24 hours now, he's still not picking up."

"Drive by?"

Natasha runs a hand through her bangs, the rest tied back in a braid, "Is Laura expecting you home-."

"-I've got an hour."

She bites her cheek as Clint makes a hard left and continues up the path from headquarters. Her head shakes nervously with determination;

"These kids need homes- pausing the process isn’t an option. I need a reason.”

"This is bullshit."

"I need to call Bruce and tell him what's going on."

"Good luck getting reception, you're in hillbilly town now."

She waves her phone with a smirk, "Stark is a wizard, I'm not worried about reception. My problem is the battery."

"Naturally. Techy genius can't resolve basic problems-."

"You need a map?"

"Nah,' he fiddles with the radio, 'I know where we're goin'. Just tell me where the Director lives."

She checks her nails, "It's his summer place so we'll need to get lucky."

Banner's groggy voice comes through on speaker when he offers her a 'hello'. She holds the phone a little closer;

"Hi Bruce. Sorry I never made it home last night-."

Barton laughs and interjects, "She drank so much she passed out on my couch."

Bruce sighs, 'Okay.'

Natasha takes back her conversation, "I need you to listen; Clint and I went to H.Q. and talked with Maria...SHIELD wants to take full control of the training center and give us the boot."

'...why?'

"I don't know, that's all she could give me. We're being replaced by two senior agents that we're expected to work under-."

'What was the, "no more adoptions" text, then?'

"They think we’re hiding something, sending incomplete reports. Look; I don't know how much we're going to be able to do until I talk to Fury."

"That's where we're goin'," Clint offers.

"Just, wipe the drives if you can. Clear out anything you think could be used against these kids. If we have to step down even a notch at least they'll need to start fresh. It'll give me time to figure out what's going on-."

"Us?," Clint corrects.

"Us."

'Okay...I uh, should I, triple down in security? Should we get Happy- What's your intuition saying...right now.'

"It's saying to hold tight and not assume the worst, just. Wanted to give you a heads up."

'Okay.'

"My battery is going to die soon."

'Okay. Be safe-.'

"How was Jen?"

'Got my text?'

"Yeah, sorry I didn't respond. So? She won you over."

'Eh, you were right,' he laughs lightly, 'You're always right.'

She smiles, "I'll see you later, alright?"

'Alright.'

The archer waits in the immediate silence, a finger over his lip, "The doc didn't sound too happy about last night's festivities."

Natasha lifts her boot over the dashboard, "He's a worrier. We know this."

"No it's called being married,' Clint raises his voice a pitch, 'What do you mean you're taking Garrett fishing?! Garrett has homework. When are you coming home!"

"You're an ass to think anything you tell me about Laura won't get back to her."

He smirks with a snicker, "You gonna fill me in on the green-cousin gossip?"

"Not a ton to share, just my speculations. I think her daughter is a meta-Make a right at the stop sign."

"I'm all ears. Could use some tea. And you gotta tell me before Tony finds out."

She turns to face him with a wide smile, "Okay! What is wrong with you two?! You huddle in the corners like drug dealers swapping cash.”

"We have bets going; on who gets the gossip first. He owes me $20."

"Ugh,' she scoffs, 'Are Bruce and I that amusing?"

"Just casualty prone. Makes me an extra $100 a month."

"Wow. Save up, you need a new car."

It's another hour or so before they reach their destination, a modest two story home overlooking the mountains. Clint pulls up in front of the handsome area and takes in the sights.

Natasha walls boldly to the door, biting her cheek as she clenches a fist and raises it to knock. As she does her head starts to spin. She moans with an 'oh no', over the familiar sensation. Clint calls for her as the lights flash against her eyelids and without warning her world goes dark.

* * *

Izabella is in her favorite spot, the second floor, third window. Her heels are tucked with a pad on her knee as she sketches an image that has haunted her for over a year.

The screams still haunt her nightmares and everytime she closes her eyes she just sees those yellow ones. The clashing colors.

It takes a certain spin of her hand to see the vision and since accidentally messing with it, she hasn’t tried it since. Her powers scare her but the images freighter her more.

Steve's question is always the same when he comes to visit her window seat;

"Drawing your mom again?"

Izabella has no other logical explanation. It's the initial lie she's told the captain so she sticks with it and flips the pad around on her purple pleated skirt with a smile;

"You like?"

He'll usually give her praise, go off on a war story, make some remark about how art is a healthy form of therapy when you've gone through a traumatic situation. 

Today is different. Steve kindly addresses the broken shield in the corner of her colorful creation;

"The detail on my shield is impeccable."

"Oh!," She quickly flips the pad, accidentally revealing more than she would've liked.

He laughs, holding a friendly smile, "I guess my war stories are clashing? You know, if they're ever too much-."

"No, no. It okay."

He nods and addresses the clock, "The girls were wondering if you're going to run with them? Miss Romanoff called out so Miss Svetlana is taking over if you wanted to tell your friends."

"Yeah,' she tugs the strap on her white tank top and points to her skirt, 'Maybe change?"

He nods politely and moves to reopen her sketchbook now that she's left it on the window seat. He’s quick to find the image she so abruptly pulled away. It's grim, violent and just like the one before it. For a soft spoken kind heart, she holds a lot of darkness.

A knock on the door, followed by a doorbell leaves Steve suspicious. He heads down the stairs and addresses the uniformed mob that has arrived. They seem polite and he recognizes a few of the agents so he allows them in after a few words about data and paperwork.

Riley appears at the top of the staircase, just as confused as the rest of the kids who step outside their quarters to stare at the random SHIELD agents.

Rogers smiles and tries to reassure, "It's alright, just a...routine check, is that correct?"

Maria Hill enters last, her new dark uniform proudly displaying an extra few badges. Her shoes clock against the floor, pivoting to address Steve in search of Romanoff. The Captain nods, "I'm afraid she's out-."

"Banner?"

"I'm not sure ma'am."

"Never mind. I need a key for the lab? We need to pull some data. The Banner's haven't exactly been on time with the past few reports."

"I don't believe I have access to that-."

She nods politely, hands behind her back, "Alright, I'll wait. Do you have a key to the office? We should but we don't."

Steve grins, "I can, have the Starks make you a copy?”

“Great.”


	7. Pushing Buttons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fury doesn’t have as much information as Natasha and Clint were hoping for. It’s a mad rush to clear the data before Maria gets a hold of it.

When Fury's compassion comes out it’s met with Natasha's stubborn nature. She’s too embarrassed to have tripped over her own two feet at his door.

Romanoff has said very little, her face stoic and still lacking in color while she sips the lemonade her Boss and Mentor put on the table for his unexpected guests.

While Clint leans his hand up against the wall and explores the elevated porch for woodworking inspiration, Fury crosses his knee and sits at the table;

"Is this an emergency or did you smell the ribs I was about to put on the grill."

Natasha scoffs, feet up on the white barrier that separates them from a four foot drop off into the grass, "It's the Center; Maria called. She wants Bruce and I to relinquish some of our responsibility and hand it over to SHIELD. This is my mission and handing it over, at all, well... I needed to hear it from you."

Nick Fury folds his hands and tilts his head, "It's not Agent Hill, it's SHIELD."

Clint interrupts, finally settling at the table with them, "What does SHIELD want with the kids?"

Neither of the two assassins catch the quick look of confusion across the Director's face before he goes contemplative again, "Good question."

"There's a pause on all adoptions," Natasha remarks.

Fury frowns, slightly. "That was never cleared by any of us."

"That's what we were told."

"How many kids-."

"There are ten left. Fourteen in New York."

Fury hums thoughtfully, "The bomb?"

"Linda went to Oregon." Natasha rolls her eyes at Fury's choice of name for Linda.

"The telepath?"

"At the center."

Fury narrows his focus, "The Mikhailovs still have the boy-?"

"Brody,' Natasha corrects, 'He's learning to control his laser vision without needing his glasses."

Nick turns toward Clint, "What does yours do?"

"Garrett?,' Barton laughs lightly, 'I know what he can't do; he can't shoot to save his life."

Romanoff lowers her foot from off the barrier, "Amelia's shape shifting; It feels like she's forgotten how to use it."

Clint nods, "Iris has incredible aim in the dark."

Nick's eyebrows lower, "All of the kids registered at the center belong to SHIELD, it's in every contract. They have the right to freeze adoptions if the safety of the children has been compromised,” he explains.

Natasha raises her eyebrows in defiance, "Has it?"

The director is lost in his own thoughts, "Let me get a hold of Agent Hill. You keep doing what you're doing in the meantime,' he glares toward Romanoff, 'And what's wrong with you?"

Natasha stammers in a half honest truth, "I don't know what you mean-."

"-You fainted. And, it's been an hour and you're still as white as a sheet. More than normal."

She looks around Fury's space and bends her knee, fully aware of his concern. It's in his eyes, a frightening look akin to an overprotective father to his daughter. She deflects uncomfortably, ready to remove both his and Clint's eyes from off her, "Can we continue with the adoptions?"

He thinks for a moment and taps the table. Natasha reveals what she wants to reveal so he needn't pry, "Wait for my call."

* * *

Lucy and Jennifer's farewell seems abrupt. Walter's rush to get back to California is based purely on work with a promise to head back to the east coast as soon as she can. Jennifer is far more emotional and sad to part than her daughter who sweetly blows her mother a kiss as she drives off.

Lucy crosses her arms out in defiance. They are at the front of the tower. She hip checks her ’Uncle,’ who unexpectedly stumbles due to her strong hit. She smirks;

"So! What's the plan for our day?!"

Bruce inhales, cleaning his glasses and counting to ten in his head, "I need to get to the center, you will have to come with me since no one's home and I'm not leaving at the tower alone."

"Ooh! I'll get the keys- Is Aunt Nat gonna meet us-."

"Hold on," he addresses the keypad on the knob she's trying to yank and types in his code to unlock it.

She pulls successfully, "Ah! Thanks!"

"Yep," he holds the door as she runs inside.

"Can we take one of Tony's sweet rides?"

He reaches for a key on the rack of the entryway, "No. You good to go?"

"Totally! I'm so ready."

She follows him to the car and straps herself in. He catches her staring once he makes it to the road, tongue over his inner cheek, "What?"

Lucy lifts to prop her feet up on the dashboard, untied sneaker laces falling as she sinks backward, "Well-! Okay! I have a question."

He nods, a hand under his head, "Shoot."

"Do you ever just go green for fun? Like, Halloween! Just go trick or treating AS the hulk."

He's mortified until he remembers that this is what Lucy is accustomed to. She doesn't fear anything green and angry because she doesn't have to. He tries to swallow the shock, "Wha- um. No."

"Oh. What about like, just to scare someone-."

He huffs a laugh, shifting uncomfortably, "I don't- he doesn't need a prank to scare people, he just does."

"Why."

"-He just does."

Her nose wrinkles, "Why'd you say 'he'-."

"Because he's not me."

"But he is-."

Bruce bites his tongue. It'll be a long summer if he doesn't set ground rules. He lifts a finger to gesture, "Okay. Listen and listen carefully, please; I don't talk about him. Anything green is off limits. I get that's not how things work at your house but this is my one house rule. Alright? Is that fair?"

She blinks, thoroughly confused, "...no?"

He sighs, "What do you mean 'no'?, why-."

"Because it's youuu?"

"You know what, you can have that opinion. It's fine."

"It's not an opinion,' she stubbornly lifts her shoulders, 'It's a fact."

"It's an opinion."

"It's. Not! It's who you are, people who don't embrace who they are can like- never be true to themselves-."

He pushes his head back, eyes wide for a moment as he tries to collect enough composure not to argue with a thirteen year old he doesn't know, "Okay, I get that's probably what your mom says-."

"Like! But it's true!"

"Whatever you say,' he nods toward her shoes, 'Do you mind? Natasha does the same thing. It makes me-."

"Angry?," she's proud of herself.

He huffs with a frustrated reply, "No."

Dramatically she moves one foot and then the other. He's biting his lip before rolling his eyes, "And you could trip over your laces."

"You sound like mom,' she snorts and rolls her eyes, ignoring him in true teenager mode. Lucy taps her window, 'Ooh! Can we get coffee?"

"I don't drink coffee, and I really think you don't need that." he quietly reaches to turn on the air, adjusting the vent so that it doesn't aim directly at her face.

"Blasphemy!," Lucy finds the vent and replaces it right where it was and lowers her side a few degrees more. Now her feet are on the chair when she hugs her knees, "What do you do for fun?"

He tugs his curls, "I...read."

"And?"

"Work?"

"Boring."

"It's building robots with Stark, it's not boring."

"I bet you're a gamer too…"

"Fortnite, Tuesday and Thursday evening with the guys."

"Ha!,' she cringes, 'Oh, you're being serious."

"Is yoga just as nerdy and boring to you?”

"Meh...depends on the day," she mumbles, half agreeably.

"What about you? Your mom said you dance."

"Uh huh." She nods, then adds, "Can you? Or just Aunt Nat?"

"Just Nat-."

He bites his lip. Now her fingers are playing with the air, seemingly unable to sit still and it's absolutely triggering the poor physicist.

"Ooh," she finds the radio, unable to settle on a station. She'll let a song play a bit, sing along and then change it second before it's about to finish.

He covers his mouth and takes a breath over the unsteady noise, the dirt she's left on the seat from her shoes and the constant clicking. If it's not a button she's chipping at the paint on her fingernail. Whatever he did to Jennifer way back in the day, or perhaps yesterday...when he accidentally grabbed her leftovers, this feels like a payback from hell. No one teenager is this disruptive...

His left knee is bouncing and there's a pulsing on his left temple. His OCD is beyond triggered. He needs the noise the stop and the car cleaned immediately. There's a voice in the back of his skull, a groan of sorts which means Hulk is picking up on his agitation. He mumbles, trying to focus on driving, "Shut up, shut up, shut up."

"Huh?," Lucy looks up.

Bruce pulls into his parking space as they arrive at the center. He shuts the car and pulls the key, eager to end one of the longest rides of his life, "We're here."

"What's with the new guards?"

"The what," he looks up after leaving the car, eyes narrowing over the sudden presence of SHIELD agents outside the door. He slams the driver door shut, taking out a bit of his rage on the simple hybrid vehicle.

The girl easily picks up on his tension, humming to herself half jokingly, "Something bad happening in Oz…?"

Bruce fiddles with a drive in his pocket, hoping he's not too late after thinking about Natasha's call. He whispers to Lucy, "Come on."

She nods, shoves her hands into her pockets and follows.

* * *

Barton won't stop looking at his friend once they return to his truck. Halfway up the road she throws her hand against the side of the chair and calls him out;

"Will you stop staring at me!"

Clint shakes his head, "Nah, Fury's right. I didn't see it, maybe 'cause I see you everyday. But you look real pale, for being you."

She moves to check herself in his passenger seat mirror, rotating from one cheek to the other before abruptly shutting it in a huff, "Nothing is wrong! I fainted, I was dehydrated."

"You don't faint. I mean- unless you're seeing your undead ex-."

"Clint, it feels like it’s 100 degrees outside and we've been driving for over an hour in a truck where the air is broken," she sighs, hitting the vent for emphasis.

He hits it after she does and it's just hard enough for the air to come on, "Fixed it. Just gotta punch it hard enough."

He nods approvingly while Natasha just shakes her head and looks out the window.

Traffic stops as they come up to the city. Her car is back at Clint's but they're both headed for the Center at this point.

Romanoff perks up as they approach, alert to the full parking lot and excessive agents around the property. Clint takes the words out of her mind. "What the hell."

She leans forward, eager to jump out and check on her kids.

* * *

Bruce confronts Maria the second he enters and spots the agent, Lucy bopping along behind him with her far from serious expression.

Hill flips her tablet, "It's protocol. Routine check when SHIELD doesn't get updates when they're due. It's in the contract."

He crosses his arms and shakes his head with a nervous grin, "I didn't sign that-."

"You did, actually. I can pull it up."

"I wouldn't agree to random check ins from an organization I don't trust- you know this, it's me."

She taps the screen, "Well one of you did. And it wouldn't be a big deal if you had nothing to hide."

He scoffs, biting his inner cheek, "You know I don't trust SHIELD."

"Nevertheless, this is a SHIELD initiative and the fact that you're running it means you, now, work for us,' Maria looks down abruptly with an unhealthy fear for the man and what he could easily become if she pushes too far, 'I'm going to need a few files from you. And who's the girl?"

The girl pops the air from her cheek in a bit of boredom and introduces herself, "Lucy. And you are?"

"Jen's kid,' Bruce groans, reaching for a key in his pocket, 'I'll be right back, let's go Lucy."

"Ooh! Where to."

Banner makes shifting eye contact with Maria and forces his words, "To, get some files for Hill."

The physicist's stress seems to dwindle once he gets to the lab, content to spot Izabella already inside and on high alert. He's mumbling nervously when he spots her and shuts them inside the lab, "Oh you're here. Great! Okay. I'm going to download some files here and then I need you to warp them back to the tower lab."

She nods eagerly, looking up at him with her wide eyes, "What happening?"

"I don't know. But, please, don't get all freaked out about it, I'm sure it's nothing," he settles in front of the screen and types quickly.

"You freaked out."

He scoffs, "Yeah well. I don't like SHIELD,' he pivots to check on Lucy, sighing heavily when he sees her spinning in the chair behind them, 'Any information shared in this room, doesn't leave this room."

Lucile offers a thumbs up, crooked in her chair, "You got it, chief."

Izabella panics and rushes to her friend's side when she wanders and starts to touch a vial, "No! No touch yet. It not ready."

Lucy huffs a laugh, "Okay! Okay! Geez. So when can you start training me? How do I learn my powers if I have any…"

Izabella looks over her shoulder, "You not know you power?"

"Youuuu not know pronouns?"

"Contractions not pronouns. And don't be mean." Bruce sighs.

"Grubyy," Izabella laughs and Lucy stands offended.

"I'm not grubby!"

Bruce offers matter of factly, "She said you're being rude."

Izabella shrugs. "It Russian."

"Oh, great. So you two can talk about me in Russian. By the way, while we're on the topic, 'it's' can you say 'it's'..."

"Grab me that vial behind you? Far right- nope, your other right. Other right, Lucy. Yeah thanks," Bruce waits impatiently in front of the screen as the green bar loads as slowly as possible and checks on his project.

Natasha practically plows into the door when she arrives, a frantic mess when she spots Banner and ignores the other company;

"Maria is getting impatient.”

Bruce tosses her a drive without a greeting and barely any acknowledgement. She catches it and with a nod between them don't require any further conversation. Hill steps forward, already up in her space. Natasha holds the drive;

"I thought you were too busy to meet with me today…"

"Busy doing what SHIELD wants,' she snatches the small chip from Romanoff and adds it to her tablet, 'Everything is in here?"

"Check for yourself."

"I'll do it later,' she tucks her tablet, 'Look I'm sorry. But I'm just the messenger. Just, fill out your forms and we won't have a problem. And Steve said he'd get us some keys."

Natasha acknowledges awkwardly and waits until the agents leave before turning around to watch Izabella evaporate a second drive in a green smoke. She nods with an approving shrug, "Good timing. What was on Maria's?"

Bruce moves to shut down his screen, "Enough to hold them over."

"Nothing important…?"

"Gibberish."

"Aha."

Lucy is upside down again on the spinning office chair, "Can we get food now? I'm hungry. And I want a coffee."

Natasha tilts her head, glaring at Bruce, "You didn't feed her? It's almost one o'clock."

"I did-."

"Well I'm still hungry. You're all crazy if you expect me to function today without my morning white chocolate mocha latte,' Lucy whines, 'Hey Aunt Nat? Can I start training now? Do I get to pick my mentor? Cause I want Stark. What's taking so long."

"Ask Bruce. He has to run some tests first," Romanoff crosses her arms and leans on the doorframe, smirking contently when Riley comes walking up to the door with her own complaints;

"Hello? My sheet said I'm with the doc today... Is this a joke?"

Natasha looks down with an eyebrow raise, "You're late."

Riley shrugs casually, "Oops. Here now. And bored out of my damn mind. If we do science stuff all day, I might poke my eyes out…’ Her eyes suddenly widden at Bruce's thoughts, ‘Oh my God! Your brain actually sucks! Wish the Hulk would talk to me-."

"Don't!," Bruce threatens. As if Hulk has somehow heard the girl, he makes his presence known through a sudden pounding in the back of Banner's head. 

Natasha just smiles, "Hey Izzy, you and Brody are with me."

Banner glares back toward the redhead with a now splitting headache, "And that's not fair."

"What? Taking away your helper? You'll figure it out. You also have Kat and Michael…"

"'I see dead people' Kat? What am I supposed to- I thought Thor was-."

She narrows her focus over the whining, "I'm starting to see a family resemblance here."

He's still holding a glare, corner of his mouth turning upwards to mimic the smirk slowly spreading over her face.

"Oh. And keep an eye out for the double A batteries."

"The what-."

Natasha tilts her head, "You know, Thor's twins? I thought that's what Tony calls them. Anyways, they need daycare for about an hour. I volunteered you...have fun!"

"Tasha...wait a minute," Bruce moves toward the door.

She winks as they close it on him and only laughs harder when Izabella whispers, "He will not survive."

"The twins aren't coming, I just wanted to see him sweat."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Shoutout to my amazing Beta: mir_sawyer


	8. Dumb Luck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clint and Tony make a few bets. Natasha’s health continues to deteriorate.

Lucy makes her way outside of the center, jogging to the wide courtyard. And while she would've enjoyed pushing her uncle further, a blood test didn't help her fear of needles and her millions of pestering questions left a green eyed flickering Bruce evicting her early. His 'go outside for a bit' sounds just like when her mom needs a break; a polite version of 'get lost'.

Lucy is all too happy to explore, even more intrigued to see Clint and Garrett working on his aim.

Barton slaps his son's elbow up an inch and crosses his fingers with a half laugh. Eight broken arrows in the grass later and all the archer wants is for the boy to get the target in some way. Bouncing off the edge is acceptable at this point.

She leans her elbows over the outdoor table, tipping it sideways, "Oops. What are you guys up to?"

Clint catches the table with one hand, silently groaning over another arrow completely going awry, "Testing out Garrett's new bow."

The boy extends a hand for Lucy to see it, noticing the curiosity in her stare, "Dad made it. Oak?"

"Mahogany," Clint lifts another arrow and tosses it to his son.

"Sick!,' Lucy strokes a hand down the side, 'How does it work? Can you teach me too?"

"Push the button on the side," Barton mumbles, half hoping she'll look for one and knock herself in the head. Instead, Lucy snatches Garrett's bow out of his hands.

The boy rolls his eyes and lifts the bottom, "You line up the arrow like this-."

Tony arrives just in time, ready with a bet, Antonia at his side and crouching to look for frogs, "$10 says G-Man loses an eye."

Clint tilts his head, "$20 if she hits the target at all."

"Yeah yeah," Lucy takes her aim, brushing off Garrett's final corrections.

Barton panics momentarily over her squint, "Keep both of your eyes open."

The arrow flies, not into, but through the bullseye. Tony moans and reaches for his phone to send over the cash of his lost bet.

Clint restrains his own happiness over having a kid around that can shoot, but seeing the look of shock and shame on Garrett's face only leaves Barton feeling guilty.

He addresses Lucy's shot with a simple "huh," ready to pick up a few of Garrett's missed arrows when he asks, "You did that with one eye?"

The girl is busy doing a happy dance around herself, pushing Garrett's shoulder, "Oh my god! Did you see that?! I shot that!"

She waves when Steve Rogers runs up along the path to join them. Now the Jameson girl is ready to move onto the next activity.

Tony can't help himself when he addresses Garrett, "You just got your butt kicked by a chic, how does that feel?"

Garrett doesn't respond, still watching Lucy. Barton lowers his eyebrows disapprovingly, "Hey, don't even think about it."

His son frowns, "About what?! I didn't do nothing."

"Good. Keep doing nothin' and hit something, anything. so we can pack this shit up."

Steve arrives with a nod, "Hello Stark, Barton, Garrett, ma'am."

"Lucy," she introduces herself and looks over his shoulder toward the second story that she's ready to run up towards and explore.

Tony nudges the guys, "Poker tonight?"

"I'm in,' Clint mumbles, proudly watching his son's arrow finally bounce off the top of the target, 'That's my boy! I'll take it."

Rogers claps approvingly, "Excellent work recruit. I see you finally hit the bullseye."

Garrett forces a smile and tips his head forward, "Thanks Captain, but that wasn't mine. Mine kinda, bounced.

"Oh, well. It was a good effort."

Stark runs a few feet ahead to herd his daughter and keep her close to him, Antonia's giggling when she tries to persistently break his barrier and charge forward. She's falling forward when Tony calls for Steve to catch her around the opposite end. He fails to reach her in time and she flops forward in her white (or at least it was white upon purchase) floral dress, starting to pout over the mud she's found herself in;

"Daddy!"

The engineer groans and flips her so his back is toward him and holds the child out with straight elbows, "Yo capsicle, can you grab that towel on Robin Hood's table."

"Uh," Steve scrambles awkwardly.

"Can you wipe her hands? She's trying to touch my face-."

He feels the need to explain first, "Now little lady, you need to hold still-."

"It's fine, she won't."

"How do I-."

"Oh for frick's sake,' her dad embraces the dirt and hugs her close on his pristine suit, snatching the towel from Steve, 'It's not like I have a meeting in an hour so that's fine. This is fine. Pep won't kill me and hang my head on the wall-."

"Oh good! That's really good, an improvement from the stabbing threats. Am I right?"

Tony raises his eyes, throwing the mud filled towel at Steve's face.

"Hey Grandpa, where's your girlfriend?," Natasha calls from the balcony, her palms up in disappointment. Izabella is on one side with Violet while Brody stands at her opposite side, "You were supposed to have a lunch date with Teressa."

Rogers looks up, a bit of dirt in his squinting eye, "Hi Romanoff."

She waves her hands disappointedly, ready to complete her run around the balcony with the kids behind her, "I'm going to reschedule for you if you don't."

"She's just not my type! That feels wrong to say-."

"Fine. I'll call Stephanie. Plan's brunch, 12 o'clock tomorrow."

Steve drops his jaw to respond, deciding against it due to the burning in his eye that now requires his attention.

Clint looks up as Natasha rounds the corner, completing the loop above the courtyard, "Poker tonight."

"9:30?"

"Earlier than that, I have a pregnant wife to get home to."

"9?" she pants through the conversation, watching Violet outrun her five times over.

Lucy catches up with the group and starts to run with them. Izabella smiles, "You finish with Vrach?"

"Who's Vrach."

"Dr. Banner."

"Oh. You call him Vrach,' she shrugs and blows her blue tinged bangs out of her line of vision, 'I guess. We ran some tests and he's waiting for the results. What's in that room?"

Lucy falls behind, trying to look through a window. Izabella chuckles and waves her forward, "Come Lucy, we outrun Natasha."

The redhead snorts keeping up her pace, "You can try."

Brody huffs through his teeth, grateful when she calls for a pause to catch their breath after the second lap around;

"You're slow today Miss Natasha."

She scoffs and throws the water bottles from the cooler, "Or! Maybe you're just catching up...Heads up Izzy."

Brody shakes his head and sips his water, "No, you're slow. I'm timing myself."

Romanoff ignores and reaches to flag down a sweaty Violet, "Breathe Speedy. You need water."

The youngest takes her bottle and addresses Riley's arrival, "Riley! I tripled my time."

The elder girl catches her friend when she jumps on her back, breaking into the unusual smirk, "Nice."

"Run with us!"

She frowns, "Screw that. No."

"What'd you work on with Uncle B? What am I thinking today?," Lucy skips over a foot to interact with Riley, jumping up behind her to sit on the balcony's edge.

Natasha reaches a hand to snap her fingers and address the teenager, "Lucy, get off the balcony. You can't sit up there, you'll fall."

She obeys slowly, too busy shifting her position to watch Riley's eyes narrowing as she tries hard to breach the girl's mind. She sighs, never moving her eyes from off of Lucy's. She wrinkles her nose;

"Your eyes are still a funky color."

"Yeah I know! I was born this way! These aren't even my cool green contacts mom got me. I wear them sometimes- the joke never goes over our neighbors heads. Daddy hates it but they're sick."

Izabella believes she's helpful when she feels the need to define what 'sick' means. Riley offers a smirk full of sarcasm and wide eyes, "No way! Does it mean 'amazing'? I had no idea."

Izabella curtsies honestly. For as sweetly oblivious as she is sometimes, Riley appreciates her company. Her eyes are back on Lucy, the spoiled rich kid who has both parents and whose mind she can't seem to read;

"I'm not trying to be mean here but are you stupid? Do you have a high IQ like your mom?"

Lucy crosses her arms, trying to be as cool as she presumes Riley to be, "I'm the smartest most ingenious person I know, I don't need high grades to prove it."

"...Um. Your mom is one of the best lawyers around and her cousin has seven PhDs, that makes them really, really, smart, so what do you mean you don't need high grades? Are you street smarts instead of school smarts? Is that what you mean? Is your dad like that too?"

Lucy frowns, "Are you making fun of me? See? I thought we could be friends but I can't sense sincerity in your tone- you're actually really mean to me. And my dad's an astronaut so that makes him really smart, too."

Riley snorts, "Girl, I don't even know you, if you want my trust, you need to earn it."

"Or we could talk and bond over what we have in common-."

"I doubt we have anything in common."

"She like music," Izabella kindly offers, not liking the vibe forming between the two other girls.

Natasha claps to address the tension and get the kids attention back on her, "Okay! 100 crunches, 50 push-ups, and then we can start our games. Riley are you working out with us?"

"No. I'm still hyped from breaching Banner's mind and chatting with the hulk-."

"Woah," Brody is interested.

Natasha yells furiously, "Riley Proctor!"

The girl laughs with a shrug, "I didn't actually do it. I tried though…"

"Okay. Ugh… Can you please go inside and practice your guitar in the lab with Bruce? I assume he's still in there with Kat and Micheal? And please, don't piss him off." Natasha says, massaging her head with her fingertips. Kids these days.

“Michael thinks he contacted Kat’s dad so things got weird and emotional so I left," she admits honestly.

"You need to do something productive during mentor hours. Something that doesn't include trying to trigger Bruce, who took off of work today to coach you. And be kind. Just because you don't like dealing with your own emotions, doesn't mean you can't validate someone else's. You owe Kat an apology for walking out on her when she was extremely vulnerable. That's not how teammates treat one another, yes?"

Riley respects Natasha so she accepts her lectures and firm nature. So she nods and with one final suspicious glare for the new girl and slips back inside.

Clint nods, "Wreck 'em mama Nat. I'll see you at the tower later. Garrett and I are headed out."

"Bye Clint."

He whispers, turning away from the kid's line of vision. "Real quick, who has that Lucy kid?"

She shrugs, supervising the kids workout program, "Bruce. He just tested her this morning."

"I want her. There's room on my roster."

She snorts and whispers back, "Seriously? It's Jen's kid, I think she wants her with Bruce. And she's only with us for the summer."

"The kid can shoot."

"Really? Better than Iris? Don't tell Garrett."

"He saw it. She got a bullseye, first shot. Think about it. One day a week maybe?"

Natasha sighs over his persistence and eagerness to coach a kid into someone just like him, "I'll think about it, I'll need to talk to Bruce about that, too... Should we clear it with SHIELD?"

He moans and walks off, cursing their organization under his breath.

* * *

"Fold," It's round seven and Pepper is done.

Thor's wife is currently on the sofa across from the game table, Agmundr on her chest and Agatha at her feet.

Thor doesn't entirely understand the game but he's trying and succeeding for the most part. Clint is currently out $200 and determined to triple his initial investment in the evening, while Natasha just coyly holds her poker face and her earnings from the past hour.

Steve is too honest to play off his hand even when he tries. Lying, bluffing, bad mouthing just isn't his style. Pepper appreciates it and gives him the benefit of the doubt even if he consistently holds a losing hand.

Bruce is at Tony's level. While the engineer trash talks, the physicist holds a subtle smirk no matter what and outwits the rest of the table. Natasha is his weakness, able to read through his stare after how long they've been together.

Rogers folds next, leaving a showdown between Clint, Tony, Natasha and Bruce. Clint is sweating while Bruce just keeps it coy. To add to the stakes, Tony proudly throws in an additional bet on his turn;

"Whoever gets the pot, gets my Ferrari."

Pepper whistles and crosses her knee, "Such confidence. Which one?"

"The red one."

"Op. Really? You'd just give her away in a poker game?"

"Shh,' he waves his hand in protest, 'I need to concentrate to win."

Natasha judges the table and flicks her cards face down, chugging the rest of her beer when she quits the round, "Check."

Bruce tilts his head. Her action changes things, "Folding."

Clint huffs a sigh, eyeing his one competition left at the table when it's time to reveal his hand. Tony drops his first;

"Straight."

Clint smacks the table and restrains his urge to victory dance and scream at the top of his lungs;

"Yes! Straight flush. Suck! It! That car is mine!"

"God,' Tony slaps the table, 'Damn it! I hate you. I hate you, from here to the MACS0647-JD!"

Bruce bites his cheek, "That's a lot."

Natasha laughs and checks her phone for a missed call. Fury's never late and his lack of communication feels uncharacteristic. Svetlana hasn't called to complain about Lucile Jameson either so the sleepover between Lucy, Izabella and Brody must be under control.

Natasha moves to stand with a distracting wave of instant nausea, "Hold my earnings Vrach. I'm going to bed."

Thor takes her hand and stacks the cards to pass off to Rogers for a shuffle, "You must teach me how to flip them in such a majestic manner."

Alex is suddenly awake from his nap underneath the table. He stands and stretches with a yawn eager to follow his mom once Natasha whistles for her dog. She gives Bruce's shoulder a squeeze and leaves tiredly.

"Stakes!," Clint shouts.

Tony grumbles, "You just won a car! What more do you want?"

"Nat's loot. It's half mine, she owes me. Throw it in…"

Thor is ready to oblige with a reach before Pepper glares with a gesture, "Absolutely not, you leave that right where it is."

Thor grins with a thought, "I shall provide the incentive instead, we will duel for Mjolnir!"

"Oh, great! An ancient artifact no one but Thor can touch," Barton sits back with a huff.

Bruce lifts an eyebrow and looks at Tony with an approving smirk. If the scientist is being honest, he would love to at bare minimum find a way to dissect the hammer that appears during every mission. It's contents intrigue him and he absolutely needs to know what's inside.

It also seems to mildly upset the hulk who is inwardly groaning over its arrival.

Banner has a fuzzy memory of it nearly knocking Hulk in the head on their last mission and that feels like incentive enough. Anything that Hulk hates Bruce instantly loves...even when he doesn't. They're currently at odds with one another; Hulk over Banner's refusal to let him loose. And Banner over the hulk's lingering pestering presence as of late.

"I'm in," Bruce mumbles.

Tony agrees but for the sole purpose of attempting to hold the thing and the bragging rights that would come with it, "Yeah me too. Deal us in, Capsicle."

Pepper is suddenly more alert with an overwhelming need to win this and beat Tony, "Me too please."

Her husband scowls, "Why do you want it?!"

"I am not interested in Thor's hammer-oh my GOD get your mind OUT! Of the gutter-, I just want to prevent you from getting it."

The demigod questions honestly, "Lady Stark; How does one allow their mind to fall into this metaphorical gutter? The Man of Iron would appear to be crawling out from within it quite frequently-."

"Wise observation, Thor! You can stay."

"I'm afraid I cannot stay for much longer, responsibilities in Asgard will be taking my time very soon. My offsprings must learn the ways of royalty-."

Tony scoffs, "They're babies! What the f-."

"Don't, Tony. Leave him alone," Bruce scolds.

"You don't think it's insane…how much he expects two babies to remember and understand…"

He consents with a whisper, "It's a little insane."

"Thank you!"

Pepper snaps, "It's none of your business! Worry about raising your own daughter."

Clint addresses the hammer, curious if he could harness it for scrap metal, "How much is it worth?"

"It is priceless," Thor is slightly offended by the question, knowing exactly why the archer would ask. And selling his beloved hammer for such a thing proves repulsive.

Tony corrects, "Not for his fans, I bet I could sell it on the street for a million."

"You have to pick it up first, genius," Clint grumbles and checks his cards.

"Hulk can lift it," Bruce mumbles matter-of-factly.

Tony laughs and pats his back, "He can't buddy, he's tried. It was a good try, don't get me wrong! Iron Man has a better shot since I might be a little more worthy."

"Gutter worthy."

"Watch it, Brucie! What do you say Cap? Going to raise us one shield?"

Steve laughs and answers quickly, "No."

* * *

Natasha looks up from her tablet once Bruce finds her in their bedroom. Alex has his head on her lap and a long tail thumping over his 'dad's' arrival.

Romanoff pets his head and addresses Banner, "Did you win?"

"Mjolnir," he can't blurt it out and keep a straight face.

She lifts a brow, "For real?"

"For real."

Natasha licks her lip and curiously sits forward, "And, what are you going to do with Mjolnir."

"Study it. Take a picture, hang it on the wall in the lab just to say I won it. Don't worry, it's not like I can actually keep it," he's still laughing when he settles at the edge of their bed.

Natasha shakes her head with half an eye roll and shuts her device. She shifts with a groan that slips despite her attempt to muffle it and tugs her sheets up further over her shoulder.

"Tasha?,' she hums over his soft call, 'Are you okay?"

She rolls onto her back, hands over her face, "Yeah. Just have a headache. Can you clear me for a mission? I need a signature."

He frowns, already knowing what her response is going to be, "A signature or a physical."

"Same difference."

"How's your hip."

"Fine."

He stares her down, waiting until she removes her hands from her face, "When was the last time you, I don't know, had a blood test."

She scoffs and rolls away from him, fluffing her pillow, "Irrelevant. I'm half super-soldier."

"Was it your concussion-."

"Bruce, I've never felt better. I'm fine."

He sighs with a nod. He needs to push and he's dreading the repercussions;

"I don't want to just sign something-."

She rolls her head just to glare, "Are you really going to make me forge your signature-."

"Natasha I'm worried about you. Why are you getting defensive," he's direct, kind but firm.

Romanoff tightens her jaw with a huff, "Whatever Clint said, it's a lie."

He sighs over her difficult nature and scratches Alex's ear. He waits, forming his next words very carefully;

"I'm not okay with you going on missions until you go in for a physical."

Natasha snaps, "Well it won't happen."

"-Tasha, it's not a big deal."

"It's pointless because nothing is wrong-."

"If nothing is wrong then you wouldn't be afraid to just go in-."

"I'm not going in-."

"Fine! Then let me run some tests-."

"Robert!"

Banners eyes widen, immediately defensive. Before he can reply there's a shout from the living room, Clint has arrived with yell;

"Who the hell is Robert?!"

Bruce is in disbelief, unsure of how to reply. Natasha sits up with regret in her stare when she frantically moves to stand and address their company. She whispers;

"I'm truly sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

Bruce follows her with his vision, "I guess you don't tell Clint everything?"

She moves out to the living room after throwing sweatshirt on over her camisole; "What do you want Clint."

He mumbles, "I wanna work with Lucy on the archery course tomorrow."

Bruce appears and lingers in the doorframe, arms crossed when he interrupts unapologetically, "You can take her if you can convince Nat to get to a doctor."

"Done," Barton snaps his fingers.

Natasha drops her jaw, feeling cornered so she panics, "I hate you. BOTH of you. I'll get one test, one."

The physicist nods slowly, "I can accept those conditions."

"And if you agree to sign my clearance sheet as my licensed practitioner first."

He bites his tongue, "If it gets you into a clinic, I'll do it."

"Great. We have a deal."

"So who's Robert?" Clint pushes.

Natasha points, "I'm going to bed. For real this time. And Robert Bruce Banner! Can take the couch,' she smirks sarcastically with a head tilt, 'Have fun unpacking that."

She elbows him out of the way and glares at Barton before slamming the door shut with a twist to lock the door.

"That's...awful. What a shit name, no offense,' Clint snickers in the awkward pause, 'Does Tony know? If not I just made another $20."

Bruce groans angrily and tugs the back of his neck. He knows she's mad and she's even taken the dog with her. He eyeballs the couch and sighs, eager for Clint to leave so he can make a bed with whatever is in the living room;

"You're out the twenty."

"Dammit!"

* * *

It's around 4am when Natasha relents, hours later and much calmer from her explosion when she finds Bruce fast asleep on the sofa with their throw. He's curled up tightly and presumably mid nightmare by the looks of it.

Natasha scratches her head and watches him sleepily. She feels nauseous again -the real reason she's locked herself in their room-, standing with the intent of snatching some crackers.

Alex had tried consoling her in his own puppy way but she's missed her husband. Romanoff ignores her headache and bites her lip with a thought.

The red head sighs and slithers up beside Bruce on the sofa, adjusting the blanket to cover the both of them. She uncharacteristically wants his warmth and comforting embrace. Her stomach is in a knot and she feels like death even if she won't admit it. Her head is spinning, her body more of a suffocating and persistently aching trap seemingly overnight. The spy has never felt so miserable, though calmed as she watches him shift in order to accompany her presence;

"Tasha?"

She smirks and lays her head over his chest, "It's me."

"I love you," he mumbles vulnerably, half asleep while he hugs her tighter.

Natasha presses her cheek against his skin and lays her hand over his chest, curling up comfortably in his protective hold.

She'll deny letting a tear fall in the morning but then again, he seems too unconscious to recall much. She looks up at him while her fingers trace his warm skin and she whispers back;

"Lyubov moy..."


	9. Get Help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fury finds some disturbing information. Steve has some things to get off his chest. The kids call for help when training gets canceled.

The director of SHIELD is sorting through work files for most of the day. His current right hand, Maria Hill, has a few out on her desk...he's digging through those now. With his one eye alternating between the files and door he's trying to move quickly to piece together his information.

Usually, he can outsmart just about anyone currently in the office but right now, the bond Maria's creating with the higher ups is leaving Fury feeling a little uncomfortable.

Ever since her promotion there's been a wedge between them, meetings usually end in her favor and suddenly Nick Fury's input is irrelevant.

A page on Izabella Mikhailov catches his eye so he lifts to skim through. Her abilities are spelled out explicitly, along with Brody and Violet…

He digs further, locating an outline for a new initiative of child soldiers with a list of who to recruit.

Emil Blonsky's detailed record of the children he experimented on back in Russia and the serums used are spelled out and listed with scrambled noted enhancements all over the pages…

"I thought it was your day off, Sir."

He looks up to spot a stern faced Maria Hill in her uniform.

He lifts a page, hoping to speak with her as a friend as he pieces together the information, "We support child-soldiers now?"

She answers matter-of-factly, "They can't stay on the bench forever-."

"They're children!"

"If there is a crisis-."

"We have an initiative of fully grown adults, trained fully grown adults, might I add."

She tightens her jaw and moves to take her organized file from his hands, "I just do what I'm told."

"Since when. And told by who exactly?"

She lowers her head and locks her papers into a file with the turn of a key, "You don't want to make yourself the enemy around here. Things are changing."

He holds his eye contact, hand on his pistol with nothing but suspicion for the woman he used to confide in;

"My morals do not."

"It's not about morals, it's about following the protocol. I followed you even when you sounded insane."

He shakes his head, "This is not the same thing."

"You shouldn't have come in here."

"I wish I didn't have to."

She sighs with a thought, "I'm sorry."

"Me too."

Maria takes her weapon out to shoot the lights out first, swinging her elbow with the intent of knocking him unconscious. The skillful director manages to escape the room, not wanting to fire back until he has to.

Hill makes a call to have him followed, walking through the hall when she is contacted by her higher ups to track the director and to 'remove him from the equation.'

She holds her com with a stern voice, "I copy. He won't get far."

Fury dials frantically as he makes his escape, trying to get a hold of his 'daughter' for help…

He's tazed moments later by an unrelenting Hill who immediately reports her action to the higher ups.

* * *

Natasha sits on the table in the lab, her feet swinging and just barely missing the floor. She doesn't know exactly what's wrong, she just has an uneasy feeling over what's about to come across Banner's screen as he runs her blood.

She's done her own research and everything she's found for herself leaves Natasha somewhere she doesn't want to be. She doesn't know what's wrong, only that she's been sick for a while. And all paths lead to the same horrible destination she doesn't want to explore. There is a part of her that hopes the past year is just a nightmare she can sleep off, forget this is happening and have it all evaporate.

Having the man she absolutely adores see the results first somehow feels one hundred times worse than going to a clinic, leaving her with a sense of anxiety she's not quite sure she's ever experienced.

Natasha knows the second he finds out it will be a fight to go on missions, to do just about anything without his empathetic stare and excessive worry.

Romanoff breathes a little easier as the lights flicker and suddenly go out. Bruce mumbles. He opens the lab door with a yell for Tony, hoping to get backup sooner than later.

Natasha leaps from her table, his signature on a paper she holds in her hand. She has a chance to escape so she tries to take it;

"You can text me the results."

He narrows his focus, "That wasn't our deal."

"Technically; You have my blood, I took the test. And I have my clearance form."

"What is this for, again? What's your mission?"

"In and out. I swear. Maria said even stopping at H.Q is unnecessary. And Barton's coming."

He shakes his head, out of options if she's going to insist. It's her job, her passion, the thing she wakes up every morning to do and does it well. Against his better judgement, Bruce just nods with a quiet and forced, "Okay."

She grins and leans to peck his lips, "I'll be back soon."

Natasha lifts her STARK device to find a black screen, tapping it against her palm. He sighs and takes it;

"Doesn't stay charged?"

"No. Might need to be scraped, honestly. I have my SHIELD communicator if you need to reach me."

He nods, fixating on her problematic device to avoid giving her an overly concerned look he'll regret later. Letting Natasha go on a mission was something Banner was hoping to avoid. At least, until confirming her problem was truly nothing more than the stomach bug she so freely told Pepper it was.

"Be safe," he whispers.

"I will," she mumbles back.

Steve swings his arms, exchanging places with Romanoff in the lab. He and Banner greet each other awkwardly, Rogers smiles, unsure of how to start his conversation;

"So, the power's out."

"Tony isn't home, is he?," Bruce asks, pulling apart Natasha's device to see the inside of it and check out what went wrong.

"Uh, no. But. That's not why I'm here."

"Oh," he looks up above his glasses, somewhat frozen.

"It's Natasha."

Bruce doesn't move, fully prepared to hear more people voice their concerns about her health. First Clint, then Pepper, now Steve;

"What about her...what did you see?"

"I haven't really seen anything. Is she okay?," Steve questions.

Banner sighs and drops the device onto the table, trying to remain calm. Natasha has thrown up twice this morning and he's walked in on her secretly searching for painkillers. If it's not about her then he has little interest at the moment. He leans back, distracted, and tugs the back of his neck. Comforted by the fact that Clint is with her...unless she's lied about that;

"Nothing, nothing. She's just...working- what's up."

"Oh, well I wanted to talk with you about something. It's a bit personal so I'm hoping I can confide you, man to man."

"Uh huh. Yeah of course, anything."

Steve drops his expression, somewhat embarrassed, "Natasha keeps setting me up on these dates and while I appreciate the thought- She has great friends, they're amazing people- I don't really have, interest in settling down and raising a family."

He stares, barely blinking, "...she did what, exactly?"

"The thing is…hmm..."

Steve continues and Bruce sincerely wishes he'll stop. Rogers pulls up a chair instead, "The truth is I really don't want to date. I'm perfectly content. But I don't want to come across rude or ungrateful, I can tell she's put a lot of thought into these."

"...Mmkay."

"She set me up with a guy from work this weekend and he has some amazing stories, we really 'hit it off' as the kids say, but I think she misunderstood the situation. I'm hoping you can clarify that I'm just not interested in either gender to avoid any more of these awkward brunches,' he clears his throat, 'that would be great."

"...Yeah, sure."

"Also, if she has time this week, I saw a few things in Miss Mikhailov's sketchbook-."

"Brucie! What'd you do to the power?! I'm gone an hour and the place gets destroyed. Might be smarter to leave Antonia in charge,' Tony enters dramatically, tugging off his tie to get straight to work and evict Cap from the room, 'Out with you, Sir Judgey Pants! Take that smug expression and shove it up your-."

"Daddy?"

He bends down with an immediate smile to scoop Antonia, who had followed him to the labs, "Baby girl! Where's your mother? It's daddy's morning to screw around with Uncle Brucie and do dangerous lab tricks so can you turn right around and go find mommy?! PLEASE! JARVIS! Watch Iron-Baby. Let her fall down ONCE and I'm selling your scraps."

"JARVIS has scraps? There's still no power so he's down," Bruce lowers his glasses to question.

Tony slowly shifts his focus onto Steve who is still at the door;

"Do I trust you to take my most valuable, precious, beloved creation down to Pepper…"

Rogers is thoroughly confused, hands in his pockets, "Is that, rhetorical."

"No,' his voice softens for her, 'Antonia Vivian Stark, you're going to go on a nice walk with Great-Grandpa Relic and he's going to take you to mommy, okay?"

Steve panics, unsure of how to handle Antonia and nods for her to follow, "Come now, little miss. I guess we're walking this way."

"Capsicle! She needs her hand held- oh forget it. I don't trust you. I'll take her down!"

"I've got it, Stark," Steve calls back defensively, while taking Antonia's small hand in his.

* * *

Lucy is back to spinning in her new favorite chair at the Center's lab. She has her phone to her ear and a lollipop in her cheek while she gossips with her mother.

Brody has the glasses split open, reworking a few wires in the same way that Stark's pdf tells him to. Izabella sits comfortably on the floor, reading a borrowed book on physics. Her adopted brother calls from the table over a dropped a wire that's quickly rolling toward her;

"Izzy? Can you zap that back up here-."

The green energy circles it from a safe distance, Izabella's fingers wiggling to send the item back onto the desk. Brody nods gratefully and resumes his work.

"Thanks sis."

Lucy kicks off the wall to send her chair flying across to the opposite end of the lab, "Mom says 'hey'."

Brody lifts a hand and waves without shifting an eye from off his glasses, "Hi 'Lucy's mom'."

Lucy looks over Izabella's shoulder, "What the. What am I looking at?"

Izabella proudly lifts her book to share, "Electroweak Interactions-."

"Yeah- nope,' Lucy hacks dramatically and spins another rotation, 'I don't have patience for things I'm never going to use in the real world."

Brody looks up and gestures with his screwdriver;

"The stuff she reads...It all looks like, I don't even know. Flip the book Izzy,' she complies, 'A snowflake. That's what that is. A snowflake with hyroglifics."

Izabella huffs and holds her book higher, reading aloud to both practice her English and to annoy her company, "Fundamental interactions between two protons-."

"Let it go! Let it gooo!," Lucy spins in the opposite direction, hitting every note in perfect pitch.

Brody covers his ears in a panic, "No! Stop!"

"You sing too?," Garrett tiptoes inside of the lab sleepily, sitting on the sofa in the corner.

Lucy snorts, "I dance too. I'm that annoying loud-mouth theater kid surfer dudes like you love to pick on."

He smirks, half impressed and half annoyed, brushing his floppy hair, "Is there anything you can't do?"

"Literature, science,' she shoots herself back to the other end of the room, 'Turn into a cool green hero person."

"I heard you're working with my dad and I tomorrow on the archery course. Was supposed to be today but a mission came up."

Lucy freezes excitedly, "Wait! Really?! That's sick! Do I get my own bow?"

Garrett shrugs, "Maybe you'll share mine? Not that I care! At all. By the way."

"Smooth," Brody chokes.

Riley coughs as she enters, her arms crossing, "I'll be there too in case anyone cares. You all so obviously don't."

Izabella tilts her head, "Aww, we do! You be nice to you self."

"Yourself," Lucy corrects.

"Yourself? Yourself...yourself. Be nice to yourself."

"Now you're speaking English! Clap clap. Good job. Now teach me Czech or Russian or whatever so I can participate in like, all the gossip."

Violet zooms in next, on top of the table when she reaches for a vial. Izabella scrambles, dropping her book to catch the falling display while Lucy kicks off for another spin;

"Where are the adults, man?! We've been in here for FOREVER. Where's your- what you call him? 'Vrach'? He said he'd be gone for two minutes...Where's your 'Vrach'? The heck does that even mean?"

Riley snickers on the inside over trying to set up Lucy, "It means 'moron'. Bruce loves it in English too so make sure you use it all the time if you wanna get special attention."

Lucy hits the arm of the chair, genuinely smirking, "You're funny, I still like you even though I know you absolutely detest the fact that we share oxygen."

"I don't. I was kidding. So laugh or something…"

"Stop being mean. You lie too much Riley," Izabella sighs.

"Izzy! Trust fall!"

She reaches to catch Violet when the girl yells and drops backward with little warning.

"I think we should hug. Either hug it out or throw some hands cause I don't like this tension between us, it's like, unsettling,' Lucy offers and stands in front of Riley, 'But! If it helps your decision at all I've been told my hugs rock and I can get any back to crack. Wanna see?"

"No," Riley is unimpressed and somewhat terrified.

Izabella intervenes, wrapping one arm around Lucy and the other around Riley to aid a forced hug with Violet running into the middle.

"Yes! Group hug! Boys?"

Brody barely gives the girls a glance, content at the workbench with Garrett;

"We're good! We'll pass."

Riley groans, complying with Izabella's request and gives her a pittypat.

Lucy points when a timer goes off and no sooner after calling it out does her Uncle come dashing back in a hurry, eager to check Natasha's blood work someplace that still has power.

He focuses on the screen and the kids hover quietly. He appears far too fixated to be disturbed though Lucy bravely tries;

"Soooo, doc, are those my test results?"

"Natasha's," he answers quickly, his eyes still never moving from off the screen.

"Wait. Like, why-?"

"There's no power at home."

"Okay but like, what about training me? That's like, why I'm here."

"Where is Natasha?," Izabella asks.

He stands, heart rate increasing steadily when he moves to evict the mob from his space;

"Mentor training's been canceled. I need a minute... or fifty..."

Izabella instantly picks up on his agitation and quickly moves to hold the door, urging everyone to follow.

Lucy lingers, cautious over the tears in his eyes, "Hey Doc. Are you okay?"

"I need a minute," he repeats.

"We can chat if you need to, mom says I'm a great therapist-."

"Not right now, Lucy."

"Uncle B, come on-."

"Get out, Lucy!"

The girl nods and bites nervously at her cheek with an arm swing. For someone her mother has raved so much about, someone she's watched proudly in the news, he's kind of dull and grumpy. She sighs disappointedly;

"Oh, okay."

The door slams shut behind them with a lock. All eyes fall on Izabella for an explanation. She just pivots wide eyed over his yell;

"That never happen before…not since Russia."

Riley shrugs, "I'm going to my room. Coming Vi?"

"Wait! We could hit the town. Go see a show- I have my moms credit card,' Lucy wiggles her eyebrows and tries to stay positive, 'Hamilton on mom? Anyone? Anyone?!"

"No," Riley snaps,

"Or! I'll run training. How hard can it be? Like I bet I could do it. It's in my DNA to be a leader-."

"No!"

"Oh come on! Rise up!"

"You. Are. So annoying."

"Thanks. What is wrong with you guys…throwing away your shot-."

"Natasha want us to be productive, we be productive with help," Izabella works to control the room, cautious over the extra SHIELD guards that hover.

Brody laughs, "I'm not practicing my laser vision without an adult present. And I don't think Doc wants us training with the guards."

She shrugs and takes out her device, "We call Stark? He help Vrach too."

Riley scoffs, "Your 'Vrach' has a stick so far up his butt I don't think Tony Stark has the tech to pull it out."

Izabella snaps furiously at Riley, her eyes wide, "Nel'yza tak govorit' o vrach! On samyy priyatnyy, samyy dobryy chelovek, kotorogo vy kogda-libo vstrechali..!"

Brody takes her hands with a grin, "Hey Sis! Breathe! No one knows what you're saying. It's chill, it's cool. No one's going insult your mentor anymore, right guys?!”

Garret rolls his eyes, "He's not that bad, Riley. We play basketball once a month, he can't shoot but neither can I."

Lucy picks at the chipped black paint on her shirt nail, "I wanna be Doc's friend but he's, like, always mad at me. Like, he hates me…does he hate me? Riley can you tell me if he hates me or somethin'? Would the hulk like me better?"

"Vrach hates nobody." Izabella is still offended over their statements about her favorite mentor as she dials for Pepper.

Riley nods, "Lucy's talking really put him over the edge in there...But that's something I can relate to."

Lucy snarls over Riley's nonstop remarks, her eyes flickering gold though no one seems to notice. She turns away humming quietly to herself and tugs the banister.

Violet looks up at her best friend, blinking twice, "Is Miss Natasha okay?"

Riley shrugs, "I don't know...I'm sensing anger and sadness, it's a weird combo. Feels like my chest is about to implode so I don't wanna keep checking his mind. He can feel me prodding...I gotta stop, sorry Vi."

Pepper answers over Izabella's speaker phone, 'Hi sweetie pie, what's going on?'

"Hi Mrs Stark, um, we need you for mentor."

'Yeah? Everything okay?'

"No, the doc locked himself in the lab and kicked us out," Riley cuts in.

"And then he canceled training. And my pops is away so I can't get a ride home until 6 when mom's off work," Garrett interrupts. He's adjusted quickly to calling Laura and Clint 'mom and dad/pop', thanks to their patience and love in accepting this orphan into their home.

"If you and Tony could come I swear I won't wrestle with Michael this time," Brody pleads.

'Of course, let me just figure out what to do with Anna-.'

"Bring her with," Izabella grins, eager to see Antonia.

'Do you kids mind?'

Garrett groans, Riley rolls her eyes. They look at each other, far too desperate to say 'yes';

"No, we don't."

"That's fine with us!"

'Okay, great! We will be right over. Izabella, Tony wants to know if you can talk with doc?'

"Him kick me out and get loud with Lucy but I can try. He is testing Natasha blood. I'z making him mad."

"'It's', there's no 'z'," Lucy corrects, jumping up on the bannister in boredom.

"It's?"

"Yeah! There you go."

Pepper sighs, trying to get all of the facts, '...so, hold on; he has a sample of Natasha's blood and he's mad about the results or ?"

"Yeah."

Pepper takes a breath, 'Okay. Just leave him alone. We'll meet you kids out on the courtyard for training games. Alright hon?'

"Spasibo."

'Anytime! How many guards are around today, Tony wants to know.'

"Three."

'Not terrible. Okay sweetie, see you in a bit.'


	10. No Day But Today

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha learns what’s wrong with her and shares exactly how she wants to handle the situation. Bruce tells Lucy she doesn’t have powers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! And thanks to mir_sawyer as always. :)

Training goes smoothly between Tony, Pepper and the kids. They play more games than actual training, messing with new Stark tech and a messy round of paintball an elegant Izabella respectfully declined to participate in. Choosing instead, to mesmerize Antonia with her green energy the toddler insists on watching.

Tony is always cautious over their interactions while Pepper finds it absolutely adorable. Of course, he would never pull them apart. He simply doesn't entirely understand Izabella's abilities and the green energy that made his best friend disappear around his pride and joy leaves him on edge. Even if Izabella is always extremely careful.

When Natasha and Clint pull up, he picks up Garrett and heads home while the Starks take Natasha and Lucy back to the tower.

Pepper is empathetically staring Natasha down for the entirety of the drive home with prying questions- whenever Lucy will let her get a word in edgewise. Once they arrive at the tower, the redhead immediately storms off after Tony's weak explanation for Banner's absence at the center. She marches with a fury inside and up toward the lab he's locked himself inside of for the past six hours.

There's anger in her tone when she breaks the door open;

"Bruce Banner!"

The fire in her eyes is startling but then optimistic considering her diagnosis. And seeing her on her own two feet is comforting. He looks up and slowly sits back as he studies her.

His brown eyes are glassy but far more numb than emotional. He doesn't speak, just holds eye contact. She shifts and enters the room, closing the door behind her;

"You left the center early and skipped their mentor hour?! Izabella told me you yelled at Lucy?! Do you want to tell me what's going on?"

Bruce fixates forward, knee bouncing nervously while he clasps his hands. All programs are running, several screens are down. He's run 18 different tests since the power has turned back on and he's not finished.

Natasha sits quietly beside him in an open chair and tucks her hands under her knees. He's refusing to talk, choosing instead to tug at his fingers. So she reaches to take and hold the one closest to her and break the physicist from his trance.

With his mind still racing he mumbles numbly, "I ran your blood."

She swallows the lump in her throat forcing her words, "And? You never texted me the results."

He swipes the screen, still emotionless, "This isn't something you text."

Natasha's neck tightens, equally emotionless. He clears his throat and moves to stand and check on another test.

She stands to read the file he's left open, skimming through the diagnosis. It's detailed and thorough, giving her exactly 525,600 minutes or one year until the radiation fully takes over and shuts her body down.

"About what I expected," she mumbles matter-of-factly, though his version gives her more time than she feels like she has.

He tenses, keeping his back to her when he mumbles borderline incoherent, "I'm running more tests-."

She sighs and tilts her head, resting some of her weight on her hands. She forces her voice to calm, "Bruce, stop. It's okay."

"-I already have a pill that'll help with pain, take it every night until I find a cure, alright?," he pivots, eyes soft though he refuses to break his expression.

"Vrach-."

"We've combusted. It's official. I've hurt you-," he can't stop pacing.

"Do you want to sit down for a minute? And we can...,' she rolls her eyes, trying not to yell, 'talk?"

He complies due to her calm tone and sits beside her, eyes on the timers for his other projects and tests. She can't see his expression so she shifts forward and rubs the back of his neck with a deep inhale;

"For starters; This isn't your fault-."

He smirks angrily, about ready to snap though his voice stays low, "Your problem is from radiation poisoning, where else would you be exposed to extreme levels of radiation-."

She scoffs trying to keep their conversation calm, "On the job, at the center, with the kids…working with Izabella."

"The job,' he shakes his head, 'What have you been doing? Infiltrating science labs?"

"My point being, that it could be from anywhere."

He grinds his teeth, "It's definitely me-."

"Vrach-."

"What else is going to make your incredible immune system shut down but the hulk and his toxic...crap."

There's a pounding in the back of his skull so he curses his other half under his breath. Hulk seems to fight back with a green tinge down his neck Bruce twitches away.

"We've always known this was a risk."

"I shouldn't have let you near me."

"Please stop."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he hides his face in his hands.

Natasha sighs. Arguing is pointless as she mulls over this new 'villain'. She can't shoot it, exploit it, or take it down. She can't find 'dirt' on it, it's a part of her she has to live with;

"I don't want the kids to know."

"They won't have to, I'm going to figure something out. Nothing is going to happen to you, Tasha. I swear."

She nods, again, not wanting to argue though the situation feels hopelessly terminal. She swallows hard and forces a smile, brushing his cheek, "Okay; We can't change the past. If I had the option to, I wouldn't. I don't regret anything."

He catches her hand with a hitch in his breath and kisses her fingers before securing them in between his own.

Natasha lays her head on his shoulder feeling him shake despite his attempts at appearing calm and collected;

"You should talk to Stark, don't push him away. I'm going to tell Clint and Laura. Let's not share this with the rest of the team. Don't tell Fury, SHIELD can't know about this."

He nods, biting his inner cheek without a word. She tries to smile, her rib cage sore from her mission and her stomach in a knot from the poison in her blood;

"Lucy could use a pep talk."

"I can't leave the lab."

"Tony can run your tests. Lucy thinks you hate her right now...You, still haven't given her the results, have you…"

"No, because I know it's going to break her."

"Well. She needs to know. It's not like she can't keep training."

"Way to change the subject Romanoff,' he sighs, once again checking the timers on his screen, 'Where is she?"

Natasha shifts with a cringe over her pain. His expression changes momentarily when he sees it. She glares with a raising finger;

"No sympathy...I gave her the key to the apartment. She wanted to see the dance studio. Hey, Vrach," his head lowers down while hers tilts up to catch his lips with hers.

"Probably shouldn't kiss me-."

"Stop! Just stop. Listen to me, Bruce Banner. Eyes on mine; I'm not going to stop kissing you. We are married, for better or for worse. We are not going to combust. I picked you, you're my person, so for god's sake, til death do us part. I believe I only get one life and I'm going to live it with you. Without regrets. You are not sleeping on the couch, you're not separating from me in order to protect me- I know how you work. I'm not going to stop going on missions. I'm not going to stop living, stop working. I do not want to be catered to and I do not want sympathy. I do not need it. We're going to keep working with the kids as long as SHIELD allows, I need that. And so do you. I would appreciate it if you don't tell Jennifer. We both know she'd drop everything to come running- I don't want that."

He nods absentmindedly and ready to cry if she weren't in the room, "I'll be working overtime on this-."

"Then I'll bring dinner to you in about an hour."

"No, you're going to bed and getting some rest. I'll get you and Lucy food. What do you want?"

She shakes her head, he's already not listening about being catered to, "Beef stroganoff and a bottle of vodka."

"Okay."

That makes him smile. It reminds him of their first official date when she forgot about his veganism.

He reaches to take her hand and help her up. She frowns, "I can stand on my own, I'm not helpless."

"I can't hold your hand?"

She nods, "If it makes you happy and it's not to help me then yes, you can hold my hand."

* * *

Seeing someone other than Natasha using the studio space feels odd. Lucy is extremely talented and completely immersed in her choreography, it somehow feels familiar.

Bruce enters quietly, sharing a smirk with his 'niece' through the mirror. He sits at the piano bench and nods his head, hoping not to interrupt her. He sees little Jennifer Walters leaping and twirling around the room rather than Lucy. A passion for the art in her eyes that reminds him so much of his cousin. She's fiery and fun loving.

The teenager overcompensates for her triple pirouette, falling to the left with a snort. She holds her smile, snatches the water bottle and skips over to Banner;

"What'd you think of my axel? Did you see my calypso into a layout?"

He holds a smile and tries to stay positive for the girl, "Um...Everything I saw looked great?"

She smiles awkwardly, he's clueless. Lucy is cautious to take the spot next to him at the bench. She stays quiet so he talks first with his elbows resting on his knees;

"Your mom loved to dance."

Lucy smirks, "She still does. With me, like, in our basement. Daddy built me a space. It's bigger than this and much more glitzy. 'Cause mom likes diamonds. We don't have a piano in it though."

"No?"

"Mom moved it to the living room. Anyways."

"So…"

"Did Aunt Nat send you?"

He laughs nervously, "Yeah."

"Oh,' she hugs her knee, 'You don't have to talk to me if you don't want to."

"I want to,' he offers genuinely, 'We got off on the wrong foot. And I'm sorry for yelling at you today."

"It's cool."

"It's not,' he looks vacantly forward, 'I'm, a little stressed... I took it out on you. Which isn't… 'cool'."

Lucy switches the knee she's hugging and swings her opposite leg, "I guess you're here to tell me I'm not worthy of attending Shiz University?" He's genuinely confused. She fills in the blanks, "Wicked. It's a musical. I was making a joke about the Training Center for Metas."

"Oh."

"Yeah,' she sighs, 'I don't have powers, do I? It's okay, you don't have to worry about hurting my feelings. I'm super tough."

"Um,' he clasps his hands, 'You have a lot of the same genes Jen and I have. The radiation just looks a little different in your DNA. There's nothing, under the surface. So you're not...green. I thought your eyes might be a key but, you got those from your dad. Other than their unnatural color there's nothing really...I can't find anything…You're strong, solid but there's nothing inside of you that can come out or change your form...That doesn't mean you can't still train with us, or that you don't have any abilities. It's just- unlikely."

Her cuticles are suddenly more interesting when she swallows hard enough for him to hear it, "I'm just not a she-hulk."

He looks concerned over how silent she immediately becomes, "Can I ask why you wanted to be a she-hulk so bad?"

Lucy moves to stand, circling the vicinity. She paces the way he does with her head down and her fingers tugging at each other. She clasps them behind her back and kicks her heel to barely mark a hip hop combination and distract herself;

"I didn't just want to be a She-Hulk, I wanted... I don't know. Like. I guess. Okay, I guess, like…,' she stops and turns to face him with a constant nervous chuckle through her confession, 'I guess I wanted a reason for, for why I'm so different. My mom is sick, and awesome, my dad is...you know. And I'm like. Built weird and my eyes are yellow and, I can't. You know? I'm not cool."

"You can be 'cool' without being green. You don't need abilities to make a difference."

She shrugs with her head falling. She finds the pockets in her jogger pants and lifts her shoulders a second time, pretending not to care, "I'm just different for no reason. This is gonna make High School suuuccckk."

She's not finished, sitting at his feet with her legs crossed, "They already think I'm weird. I wanted to be cool weird."

"Who thinks that?"

"My friends at school; They make fun of me with each other because, like, I don't really fit in? The girls pick on me for not being skinny…and the boys don't want to hang out with me because I'm not a boy. Mom always says befriending them will make it better, so they're always at my house. But I don't really trust them."

"Oh."

"I don't think Riley likes me either, from the center, but it's okay. It's not so bad,' she sighs, 'I just really wanted to be like mom."

He contorts his mouth. Bruce feels for the girl, trying to remember his own loner years and offer some advice. She seems down and yet still optimistic despite the pain.

"You remind me of your mother."

"Yeah?," She leaps back up onto the piano bench. It shakes a little in a reaction from her toned, muscular frame.

"Bubbly. A little annoying,' They share a laugh, 'She was...my only friend growing up if I'm, being honest."

"Yeah? She's my bestie. We're BFFs for like, forever,' she turns to rest her head on her bicep, 'I guess, like. You don't actually hate me?"

"I don't hate you. You're your mother's daughter which means you can be a pain in the neck. But, that doesn't mean I hate you. We're just different."

"I don't hate you either,' she taps the piano in an ADHD moment, 'Do you play?"

"A little,' Banner shakes his head, 'Do you?"

Lucy taps her fingers over the keys, "Yeah. So, like. We have that in common. Do you have a secret? Something you'd never told anyone ever?"

"Including Natasha?"

"And my mom. You don't have to answer, it's just something I ask all my friends. It's like, I don't know."

He shifts, watching her long fingers spread in order to reach and press different chords. She's just called him a friend and it makes his heart melt.

"Thinking up something your mom doesn't know is the hard part," he's laughing.

She concentrates, playing her Broadway tune, "Think about it. I'll share mine when you share yours."

"Fair," why she would share with Bruce is beyond him, he's checking his watch for Natasha's lab projects.

"Can I give you a hug? To take the stress away?"

He stammers over her request seemingly out of nowhere, "Um…sure?"

The girl forces it, standing when he does to give him a tight squeeze. She's a little wild, she can't focus, but he appreciates her optimism and empathizes with her loneliness. Bruce feels protective over the kind hearted Lucile Jameson, vowing in his heart never to let anyone or anything touch her. For once Hulk would seem to agree.

"Uncle B?"

"Hmm?," he looks down awkwardly, unable to return the hug with her strong arms holding him down.

"Can I chill in here for a bit?"

He checks his watch, finally free from her hold, "Yeah. I'm going to make you girls some dinner."

"Actually! Can I help? I'm a really good cook!"

He tilts his head with a nonverbal urging for her to follow and she does, a wide smile on her face. She's back to talking, rambling on about her upcoming dance recital for Christmas and if he and Natasha will come.

Romanoff interrupts, sitting at the kitchen table with a loud response, "Obviously we'll be there."

Alex comes walking over for Lucy's attention that she's all too eager to provide. Bruce moves for his recipe book and skims the pages with a mumble, extending his elbows to better see the page;

"I thought you were resting, Natasha."

"I'm sitting, what more do you want from me,' she taps the table, 'Lucy? Your blind uncle needs his glasses. They're by my coffee maker."

Lucy hands over the glasses and claps her swinging hands with a slide and a bounce in her step, "What's next?"

Natasha points again, this time under the oven to coach the girl from her seated position. She'd stand and help if only her head would stop aching;

"Black pasta bowl. He's making stroganoff. Pasta is in the cabinet…top right...Okay, you're shorter than me, you need to grab a chair."

"I can get it," Bruce reaches, trying to be helpful though he might need the chair himself.

Lucy lifts a sassy hand, "No stop! You do youuu Uncle B. I'm good! I'm a proud independent woman who can handle myself."

"Okay, okay! Sorry."

Natasha smiles to herself entertained by their dynamic, quietly sipping her glass of water.


	11. Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha is having good and bad days. The lab rats come up with a hypothetical solution worth testing Bruce knows Natasha isn’t going to agree with....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy the next installment! Kudos and comments always welcomed. Special thanks to mir_sawyer. 
> 
> —She does amazing art if you guys ever need commissions!

Natasha is much more vibrant in the upcoming weeks, all thanks to her pain medicine. She's outrunning Brody once again and determined to tackle any mission that pops up on her device. She's sarcastic and full of whit when she asks Steve;

"Why did you skip out on the date with Darcy?" He tenses uncomfortably. She just taps his shoulder, "Kidding."

He forces the laugh, "Oh, good! I was worried for a second there…"

"You know, you can tell me when I'm overstepping," she appreciates their friendship and Steve's promise to talk directly to her about their conflicts next time makes her happy.

The lack of communication from Fury leaves her concerned but a relapse early August knocks her down for a week. As soon as the medicine kicks in again, she feels like she can conquer the world, which is a problem for Bruce and Clint who have to constantly remind her to rest and take it easy. She's far more injury prone and she doesn't really listen, stubbornness might've run in the family, bruises down her arm from losing her footing. So Bruce ropes off the stairs in order to force exclusive elevator usage. She just moves the bench and continues about her day. Anything he urges her 'not to do,' she has to try at least once more and prove to herself that it's still possible, which annoys Bruce to Asgard and back.

Lucy and Clint are getting closer, which Garrett doesn't seem to mind as long as he's a part of their adventures. So far, Lucy hits every target, she's athletic and up for any challenge. Clint takes her to the Barton family cabin during two days for a full hunting experience she thoroughly enjoys.

Lucy will lean over her Uncle's shoulder in the lab during a few simple projects and indulge Izabella by at least skimming their shared books.

Family nights at the tower have started to include a mandatory watching of Frozen as demanded by Antonia, followed by a ruthless game night with the kids. Brody is competitive but Lucy tops him when it comes to raising her voice and the stakes.

"She has a gambling problem," Clint mumbles one night on his way out of the room in reference to Lucy putting up her Vans to match Brody's beloved basketball.

Laura remains the only steady voice of reason who Natasha respects. So when Laura says to 'go rest', Natasha will head upstairs, curl up in her bed with Alex and watch 'Breakfast at Tiffany's.'

Bruce is at her side whenever he's not in the lab. There's a comfortable space in the lab where the couple enjoy watching the stars through the skylight. She likes it when she can drag him into the studio for ten minutes and play the piano in the, even if dancing isn't her top choice of activity as of late. Lucy enjoys it too, trying to teach the Mikhailov siblings a few moves that neither one can figure out. Brody however, does have more rhythm than Izabella.

Pepper is at Natasha's side whenever Bruce can't be, a life saver and optimistic presence. Antonia makes her laugh, always content to curl up with Natasha and Pepper for a movie.

Alex never leaves Natasha's side, so much so that he's begun to accompany her on most of her missions. Maria permits it, empathetically, even urging SHIELD to provide Alex with his own uniformed vest. He's learning Natasha's signals and barks when she's dizzy, about the faint, or injured. Clint always comes running over Alex's call, a secure bond between the three of them whenever she's on a mission.

Alex chose to get the Hulk on their most recent team mission, sensing his 'dad' underneath the big green exterior and the fact that Natasha needed him. Hulk responded quickly to him and let Bruce take over after giving her cheek a gentle brush.

The excuse for Fury's absence had been 'vacation' as far as Natasha knows, and she didn't always have the energy to dig deeper for the past month. Clint's been too focused on Natasha and Steve didn't have the desire to research anything further than what Bruce keeps asking him to. At this point he's aware of her problem and more than willing to help wherever he can, even if he doesn't know every detail.

Lucy is beginning to catch on that something is happening, she's also been the last to express concern to and among the kids, thanks to Riley's intuition and big mouth. She swears never to tell Jennifer Walters under Riley's penalty of sudden and instant death by Brody's laser vision. They're all much kinder to each other and less wild when Natasha and Alex are around, all of them trying to keep her happy.

Thor and Jane would help, if it weren't because they are out of touch and off world most of the time, oblivious when they are around and far too busy with the chaotic twins.

Natasha has her good days and bad days. The good ones are too great, like nothing's ever changed, and the bad ones are awful, where everything is suddenly different and confusing.

Bruce and Tony lock themselves in the lab for hours on end regardless, staying until the early morning hours to come up with solutions for her. Stark remains close to Bruce at all times, no matter how many times he's been pushed away. Tony will never leave his best friend unsupervised...even if it means crashing on the floor beside the physically and emotionally exhausted physicist.

Over in the lab, the boys are tired, currently running test number 99,999, not that he's counting. Tony is getting hangry and a little restless from lack of sleep while Bruce is insistent on trying a project they've already run 1,876 times...at least according to Stark's notes. He lifts his tablet with a sigh and jumps up onto the desk, bags under his eyes while Bruce darts around the lab;

"Brucie, I don't know what to tell you. We've run this a thousand times. Literally."

"Run it again," he is insistent, relentless. His curls are a mess from constant tugging, his top missing a button from his own lack of proper care. There are dark circles around his already dark brown eyes, stubble on his cheeks and a scratch on the last pair of glasses he hasn't thrown against the wall in a fit of rage. He holds a smile for Natasha but quickly breaks down when he's alone, resulting in a new hole in the wall from a half transformation.

Tony usually complies with the requests to keep the Hulk at bay and swipes his screen, "We're geniuses here but I'm starting to wonder if we're missing a component. It's almost- never mind."

"What?"

He laughs over the thought, careful with a vial of Natasha's blood, "It's a medical problem. You sorta have a degree in medicine and all that-."

"Not anything worth mentioning-."

"It's just not…"

"Not what."

"It's almost like what you need is someone more specialized in that...like a cellular biologist."

He mutters under his breath as if a lightbulb has just gone off, "Cellular biologist…"

"I know a couple. I'm just not sure you'd like them very much. Okay! I'm starving. If I don't get food I might Hulk out Iron Man style and nobody wants to see that. Want a cup of tea, Brucie boy? Some weed? What's going to make you zen out for an hour? Hot Yoga?"

Bruce's gears are turning, wagging his finger, "Tony! You're a genius!"

"I know. A little louder please, so Pep can hear you..."

He runs his program again, trying to recall a bunch of tests Betty would run on his blood and DNA. He stops short, fists clenching as he stands frozen in front of the screen…

"Buddy?,'Tony waves in front of his face, 'You alive?"

His jaw twists, a throbbing pain in the back of his neck from Hulk's agitation. Bruce pushes away the hesitation and digs through his accessible file with Natasha's code, taking a deep breath when he taps Betty's notes and starts to skim through emotionlessly;

"She did research, she analyzed every component that made the Hulk, every single step we took, the Hulk and... There's got to be something in here-."

"Who 'she', 'she' who, say what?"

"Betty," he moves to type.

Tony leans over the workbench to fiddle with Natasha's broken Stark Phone and removes the back cover to give a quick look at the battery- a project on his radar but so far down on his list.

"Look at this Tony."

"I'm looking,' he shifts to Bruce, abandoning the device, 'That's all her research on one "test"? It's like 8,000 pages...no wonder you two got along so well. Small problem, you trust yourself to create the cure? The 'it'? Whenever you find the 'it'?"

For Natasha, the woman he adores, nothing is good enough. And he's not inclined to test something he doesn't entirely understand on her. Bruce slumps over the desk and sinks into the chair behind him. There are millions of files, documents and research. The scientist sits back upright and starts to skim again; he'll go through each page if he needs to.

"So, you'd give her what...a blood fraction-."

"No! No. Maybe? I would have to…" he trails off, lost in thought.

"Doesn't matter what you make it'll take time to run and test and sample,' Tony sighs over the lack of a response, 'Does Red have time…"

"437,999.04 minutes…"

"Okay, THAT, needs to stop. We're not counting down a bomb. And the pushing us away emotionally too. It's going to make you numb- trust me, you don't want to be a ghost."

"What do you want me to do? I'm doing everything I possibly can; I'm meeting with professionals, I'm meeting with doctors, surgeons, I'm looking through my ex wife's folder with a million questions-I can't exactly make a call to ask Betty for help!"

Tony pushes his friend to start typing himself, "Maybe you could."

Banner scoffs coldly, his mind in the meta who can supposedly contact the dead, "Michael is a kid. And. I'm not asking him to contact a dead ghost...pretty sure it's just a party trick anyways-."

"I wasn't talking about Betty, I was talking about Betty 2.0."

He's still confused, "And do what? Mail her a letter across dimensions via Izabella…?"

"Take Red to someone you trust. Someone who has top of the line tech. A place where, let's be real, if things are as advanced as you told me they are- Betty 2.0 could probably figure it out in a week."

Bruce's jaw twists. His hand over his mouth, a thoughtful look across his face, when Tony steps back from the screen to reveal all of the notes they've taken from the alternate dimension research and discussion. The two men analyze it, quietly mumbling to each other.

Bruce is the first one to break the silence, somewhat more hopeful. When it comes to saving Natasha he's desperate for answers. He pulls up Izabella's file next;

"We're still counting on a kid…"

"She can handle it, trust me," Tony crosses his arms and props a foot on a stool.

"It's a lot on her…"

Tony pushes his friend once again to skim through Izabella's private folder to prove him wrong, "She warped a car last week according to your private notes- don't ask me how I got that password, I had to bribe Red-."

He shakes his head eyes wide, "I didn't leave Elizabeth on the best note...Hulk, you know, did what Hulk does."

The big green fights back, revealing himself through a growl and a spark of green on Banner's neck. Bruce slaps the side of it and curses him under his breath.

"If Lizzy-girl doesn't want to help we'll find somebody else. Somebody with experience, technology, top notch hospitals- Red deserves the best and let's be real, the best isn't here. You're not going to trust my friends so let's think about this over food because I'm about to punch something and I'd rather not smack you around- unless you'd like that? You did marry the spider with the name of a murderous female."

"Stop talking."

"Mmkay,' he pivots, flipping the skylight open to calm his friend, 'Think Red will go for it?"

"Huh?"

"Betty. Going to see your ex for help."

"She's not my ex," Bruce mumbles back, focused on the screen.

"Close enough."

Tony takes his nonverbal signal for silence and space. Stark lifts a fist and punches his shoulder;

"I'm getting food with Pep. Go talk it over with your wife."

"Uh huh."

"Now man. Beat it. Get out of here."

"I need to check-."

Tony sighs and stands in front of him, flipping the screen off, "We've checked everything important, it's break time. I said go, so go. Now. Or you're grounded, no lab for a week."

* * *

"Okay, okay. It's Izabella's turn," Natasha takes her fancy glass of sparkling cider, enjoying time with the girls as she indulges them in a round of two truths and a lie. Svetlana and Brody are off at his baseball practice so Natasha is entertaining Lucy and Izabella for the evening. Over on the video cam is a live stream for the center girls to participate as well and everyone is loving it.

Lucy shifts in her plaid pajamas and tucks a pillow under her chin, eager to continue her winning streak.

The younger Russian smiles kindly on her round;

"Okay. I been to Peru. I allergic to how you say...lesnyye orekhi."

"Tree nuts," Natasha translates.

"Spasiba-."

"That's true!," Amelia offers.

Izabella taps her lip, cheeks flushing red uncomfortably over the spotlight on her, "I play violin."

Lucy drops her fist, "Violin is the lie! You have no musicality, I've seen you dance."

Natasha looks ready to spit her drink with a chuckle when Izabella nods and accepts Lucy's criticism with grace, her hands folded when she blushes and talks above a whisper;

"True. Lucy is right. You turn."

"Okay my friends!,' Lucy rubs her hands together and sits upright energetically, 'I have a 6-octave vocal range…"

"Translation please?," Amelia interjects.

Riley pushes her, "It's a music thing. Pretty impossible so that's probably her lie. Continue, Lucy."

"Oh my gosh; Thank you!,'' the Jameson girl nods gratefully, 'I'm shocked you didn't have a nasty remark for me, I'm like-."

"Don't bait me."

Lucy clears her throat and moves on, "Number 2! My favorite musical is Wicked. And number 3…' she takes a breath and comes out with it, 'I like girls ...and boys."

Izabella contorts her mouth thoughtfully, "You love Wicked."

Riley rolls her eyes, her snap rooted in a little jealousy for how close she believes Lucy and the Barton boy are becoming, "It's the last one! You've been flirting with Garrett since you got here! You clearly only like boys."

All of the girls except for Izabella jump in and seem to agree with their different input. Lucy forces a thumbs up and a closed mouth smile, her eyes low. Apparently befriending the most popular boy at the center equals to flirting to the mean girls. She lies rather than address her 4.5-octave vocal range, "Yep...you got it. Good job, you son of a gun."

"Who says that?," Amelia rolls her eyes, trying to get praise from the ever so popular Riley, who brushes her off.

Riley Proctor feels a little guilty for picking on Lucy, so she snaps to hide her emotions;

"My turn, you idiots…"

Lucy lays back down and hugs her pillow, hardly listening to Riley's turn, now that she's distracted.

Natasha watches carefully when Lucy moves to stand and fill her glass with a little more cider. If Natasha's side wasn't about to explode, she'd follow and pry a bit. Alex shifts in his position with his tail thumping, nosing his mother with a lick. Natasha closes her eyes to breathe deeply, nauseas out of nowhere when she politely dismisses herself from the group;

"I'll be right back, you girls keep playing."

She stumbles slightly to the bathroom, aided back onto her feet by Alex's quick action to circle her and Izabella's extended arm.

Romanoff thanks the girl but is quick to pull away, locking Alex out with Izzy, when she turns to the sink and starts heaving.

Alex barks, so Izabella moves to soothe him and gives Lucy a glance with a concerned whisper for her mentor;

"Should we call Vrach?"

Lucy bites her cheek, glass in her hand, "I don't know. She's throwing up like, all the time to be honest. Like,' she gasps excitedly, 'Is she pregnant?! Am I going to have a baby cousin?! I've always wanted a totally awesome cousin!"

Izabella lifts her shoulders, head tilted slightly.

"Like! Question,' Lucy is still on her train, 'Does that mean you're getting a baby sister? Cause you're like, practically half Uncle B and Aunt Nat's daughter? Or! Is it a cousin for you too?"

Izabella chuckles and shakes her head, relieved once Bruce enters the apartment in search of Natasha. He has a quick nod for Izabella and caters to Lucy's request for a hug briefly and half-heartedly. Alex greets his dad with a jump and abruptly leads him to the restroom where Natasha locked herself in. The physicist knocks with a tired sigh;

"Tasha?"

The door unlocks to let him inside, quickly locking behind him.

She's sitting on the floor, but holds her head high, stray hair over her cheek. He sits on the ground beside her and brushes it behind her ear. With an empathetic gaze he whispers;

"We might finally have an answer."

"Oh,' she mumbles dryly, a drop of blood on her lip when she closes her eyes momentarily, '...hurts to talk."

"I know, gosh I know," he says, Bruce wants to hold her and take away her pain, reaching to rub her shoulder and help clean her lip.

Natasha is not one to complain or bring up discomfort. She's currently paler than the white tile on the floor, wanting to be left alone but her new ache requires attention. She taps above her hip, "Can you…"

He takes her signal and carefully lifts her shirt to check her for an injury she's reopened, "Geez! Don't move!"

"I can't," she's trying to joke.

"I'll get my med kit. Please stay put."

Bruce scrambles, accidentally leaving the door open for Lucy and Izabella to peek through the opened crack. The Jameson girl bites her cheek uncomfortably and shared a glance with Mikhailov who bravely moves toward the door;

"Natasha? Can we help?"

Alex sneaks inside to licks his mother's face. Romanoff shuts her tired eyes and shakes her head, not wanting them to see her falling apart, "No, thanks. I'm fine."

"I can braid you hair," Izabella offers kindly, not taking no for an answer when she enters and settles behind Natasha.

The redhead scoffs, "You don't have to."

"I want to."

Lucy points toward the living room, "I'll tell the girls game night is over? Yeah? Cool!"

Bruce returns and accidentally nudges Alex and Lucy with a little more aggression than he's intended, preparing to give Natasha some replacement stitches. Izabella watches with intrigue and stays quiet so as not to trigger the couple as she carefully braids Natasha's red hair that falls below her shoulder blades.

Lucy returns with a glass of water and another with ice cubes;

"My mom likes water and ice when she, like, you know, throws up, so! I brought you some!"

"Thanks Lucy," Natasha manages a small smile.

Bruce threads his needle, "Okay, it's going to get a little nasty; you girls might wanna leave now."

Lucy cringes over what her Uncle's about to do with the needle, "Oof! What in the name of the greenest hulk is that for?!"

"Sutures," Izabella states matter-of-factly.

Natasha cringes and addresses the bloodied patch above her hip due to her fall only moments ago, "I ripped my injury open…"

"Here,' Izabella offers her hand, 'Can grab fingers if it hurt?"

Natasha laughs and takes her hand gratefully, "Spasibo, but I've had worse Izzy."

"Last chance, Lucy," Bruce reaches to sterilize.

The girl waves her hand and leans on the doorframe trying to appear collected, "I'm good I got this! I can stomach it." Not seconds later she's dizzy, holding her gut, "Okay nope! No I can't! Nope! Where's the trash bin?!"

Natasha pushes Izabella with a laugh, "Can you please go help your friend so she doesn't ruin my brand new carpet?"

The girl obliges and dashes to help Lucy with Alex chasing behind them.

Bruce kicks the door closed and Natasha smirks, sinking back on her elbows over his coaching;

"Breathe."

She nods and closes her eyes, "I'm fine. Just do it."

"Where are your pills?"

"Second drawer on the right,' she nods toward the sink, 'Am I getting more for this, 'answer'? Something stronger?"

"Um,' he focuses on her injury, 'I'm not sure. I want a cure not a bandaid that leaves you feeling like an invincible risk taker."

"What do you mean."

"It's...So this is going to sound a little crazy."

"...okay?"

He's purposely waiting until her stitches are done, carefully cleaning up the area;

"Tony and I can only do so much."

She nods, sitting upright as they whisper, "Which is why you've been meeting with all those specialists."

"Right...um. Look, there's no great cure for this particular radioactive ...thing...It's something no one in this, dimension's even dealt with- or heard of."

Natasha's eyes narrow, "...okay?"

His eyes stay low, carefully dabbing her rib cage clean, "It's- with the exception of people who have, you know, worked with the Hulk...with me."

"Okay?"

"There might be an answer to cure you in my blood."

She nods slowly, curious why he won't blurt out what's on his mind, "Oh?"

"-It's. A...risky..hypothesis...that, well, someone was working on."

Natasha nods. "Someone."

"Someone I know-knew...A cellular biologist."

"Betty," her chin tilts downward as she fills in the blanks.

He makes eye contact almost shyly, "Yeah, so, um."

"So. In your blood, that you won't let anyone touch, or even stare at..and god forbid you get a papercut in the near vicinity of people...is my cure…"

"Sort of."

"'Sort of'...?'

"It could be. Maybe."

"Okay."

"We don't know for sure but it's a big possibility"

He scratches the back of his head. The last time he brought 'her' up it ended in a fight. Bruce sits back in his heels and takes an inhale;

"So, Tony and I were thinking…"

If he's going to die, he's taking Tony with him. Natasha tilts her head and hugs a knee;

"Well, that sounds dangerous" She jokes. Bruce rolls his eyes.

"Funny." he sighs. "Anyways, we were checking if someone with...upgraded tech and the same expertise would be able to translate her notes into a cure for you, look for something we couldn't find."

"Someone like…"

He bites his cheek and holds eye contact, "Elizabeth."

"So…"

"So Elizabeth Ross. From..you know, the other world…?"

Natasha's quiet first, then she laughs, the laugh that makes Bruce want to hide under the bed and never come out again. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Natasha…"

"No! No way."

"Why not?"

"No! Just no,' She's struggling to stand and begrudgingly takes his help after two more attempts of shrugging him off, 'You're not putting this on Izabella. It's too much for her."

"She moved a car-."

"In the same city! Ugh. I said no."

He cringes and shrugs, thoughtfully, "I think it's worth talking about-."

"I've made my decision, Bruce."

"Natasha..Nat, please, honey, let's talk about this-."

"Don't you 'honey' me!"

"Nat wait-."

She tugs at the door aggressively and slams the door behind her to lock him inside.

He sits alone with his thoughts for the next few minutes, his head on his hands and eyes closed, trying to decide how to better approach the topic and get her to agree...if it's possible for her not to see red the second the name 'Elizabeth' is dropped.

Frustratedly he moves to hit the door, stopping his hand the second it's opened.

Lucy grins, proudly holding a bobby pin in her hand;

"Need some help Uncle B?"

He sighs with a scoff, "Thanks."

She nods towards a quiet Izabella who stands behind her and tosses back the pin previously in Izabella's hair;

"It was her idea. I just executed it like a boss. Everything cool with Aunt Nat?"

"...Couldn't be cooler. Where is she?"

Izabella points, "Her room. She lock the door there too."

"Great! Awesome!"

Lucy crosses her arms, "I think that's sarcasm…?"

He snaps, "You think?!"

"Sooo, she's not pregnant? Sorry I was eavesdropping...maybe...like a little-are you mad? Is Hulk finally going to meet me?!"

Bruce shakes his head with an aggressive kick in the side of the kitchen cabinets and moves quickly to his office, locking himself inside his own space.

Izabella clasps her hands and looks at her friend with concern, "What we do."

Lucy laughs and puffs her chest proudly, "Don't worry! I force my mom and dad to make up ALLL the time. I got this! Trust me?"

"No, not so much…" Izabella answers far too quickly with an honest shrug, receiving a glare from her friend.

Lucy's solution is letters as they move into the kitchen and locate a pad and two pens; the plan for Izabella to write in Russian for Natasha's voice and Lucy for Bruce.

The young girl finds the solution unethical but tries her best to cooperate in a plot Lucy seems so sure of;

"Aunt Nat isn't wordy so, like, write four words. That's not a big deal."

"Is lying," Izabella protests.

"It's not! She loves him. She's just too stubborn to say 'I'm sorry,' like my mom and Uncle B is grumpy like dad usually gets. So! Like, okay, here's mine; Dear Wifey-."

"He not call her wifey."

"Okay fine. What does he call her?"

"Uh...Natasha?"

"Nicknames! It's gotta be an intimate apology. If she's mad at him what does he call her?"

"...Natasha."

"Seriously?"

"Or, 'Tasha'? Maybe 'Nat'?"

"Okay good, so! Ehem! No interruptions...Dear Tasha, Sorry I've been an asshole-,' Izabella interrupts with a lifted finger, 'Whaaattt nowww?"

"Um. He not swear."

"Ever?!"

"...yeah?"

"Ugh! My dad swears like every other word- maybe you should write his and I'll write Aunt Nat's. Switch!"

"Um…"

"What now?!"

She lifts the page, "English is not first language for me."

"Fine! I'll write both just tell me what to say!"


	12. Only Human

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha has a bit of a breakdown. The team all try to help.

Bruce is exhausted, his top half unbuttoned from the night prior when he finally stumbles out of his office. There's a folded page in his hand he's yet to read when he spots a collected Natasha sitting on their kitchen island. Alex is getting an ear scratch while she reads over a letter that had been shoved under their bedroom door.

He's half woken up from the music currently playing over their radio, a hand through his messy curls when he dares to greet her;

"Nat?"

She smirks to herself and scans the page, Moon River playing in the background when she sips her coffee and slides the page, "I never realized your handwriting was so atrocious... or that you missed my 'delicious kisses'."

He sighs tiredly over not being able to recognize the letter and stands across from her to check his own page, "This one has the t's crossed crooked...you write in cursive. So where are Lucy and Izzy."

Natasha huffs a knowing laugh and takes another sip of her coffee, "I think the girls really want us to get along, huh? Maybe we owe them an explanation to get them off our tracks?"

He'd love nothing more than to cup her cheek and taste her kiss, to thank Lucy and Izabella for trying and who, or so Natasha tells him, have crashed the dance studio for the evening in their sleeping bags. He drops the page instead and moves to shut the music with a serious expression and bags underneath his eyes;

"Natasha, we need to talk. For real."

She looks up. Her hair is neatly combed with her face full of a decent amount of makeup to hide her lack of color. She shrugs casually with her knee crossed "About what."

"About you. About the idea to take you someplace where you have a shot at getting a cure."

"We already spoke about that and decided that I don't want it," her eyes stay low, fingertips brushing her napkin when he cuts her off.

"You don't want a cure or you don't want that cure?"

She drops her jaw with a defensive whisper, "Last choice."

"Natasha... I swore to protect you, to keep you safe, and you need to let me do that as your husband, as someone who loves you,' he takes her hand, his eyes wide as he begs and sits beside her, 'Please. If there's a chance we can save you-Let me fix this, please Natasha."

She licks her lip and swallows with her eyes still low. Her thumb rubs his warm hand in reply, "Bruce...I don't need any saving."

"What do you mean? You suddenly found a cure yourself? What do you mean you don't need any saving?" He says pulling his hands from her grasp.

"Bruce…"

"Nat, please, please. I can't do this, I can't-."

His breath hitches, on the verge of a panic attack, his hands on his hair. She reaches for his shoulder;

"It's okay. Vrach, it's alright. I'm alright."

"You're not. You're not alright. And you'd rather die than let me try to help you."

"I would not."

"Then what? What is it? Tasha, please."

"It's nothing…"

"Nothing?...You lock me out of your headspace, our room, now with this conversation to tell me 'it's nothing'...You really need to learn how to talk to me," he half jokes nervously and moves to stand.

"I do talk. You just-."

"What? I just what? I don't listen? Is that it?"

"Yes!"

"I'm not going to listen to this bullshit. I know she could help you-."

"You don't know that. And you could hurt Izabella in the process."

He shakes his head adamantly with his eyes widening, "You know me better than that. I would never force that girl to do something she couldn't do or that I haven't tested. Have a little faith in me, and a little faith in Izzy."

Natasha closes her eyes when he surrenders and moves around the apartment in search of the keys. He tries and fails to flatten his top as best he can with a trembling hand.

She holds her head and calls for him to come closer, "Bruce, let me fix your-."

"Don't! Touch me right now, you're really making me mad-Sad- I can’t-You hate every solution I bring to you, I'm really trying here, Natasha," he snaps and pulls away.

She shakes her head and looks up toward the light with a fingernail in her mouth, "Not everything! I just..I don't like that solution, the one wiith her."

"With Betty… It's not even my Betty,' he emplores, 'Natasha, we're running out of options."

"Oh so now she's YOUR Betty," Natasha snorts.

"Nat-"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore! I've made up my mind."

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Fine...I'm late for a meeting with a haematologist anyways."

Natasha hides her face in her hands once he leaves, letting her own breath hitch, a lump form in the back of her throat and a knot in her stomach.

She reaches for her SHIELD communicator and tries to dial for Clint- sent straight to voicemail. Nick Fury is who she really wants to call, but he seems preoccupied. And taking care of the kids is far more important than distracting him with a chat.

She lowers the device with a groan and dials Pepper instead to request borrowing a vehicle for the morning.

"Soooo, are you okay Aunt Nat?"

Romanoff looks up and mumbles a Russian swear under her breath when she sees the two girls cautiously tiptoeing into the living room.

"zhizn' ebet meya, ugh,' she quickly follows with an apology for her young Russian speaking friend, 'Mne zhal'."

Izabella blushes, her eyes wide when she shakes her head, "It okay."

Lucy rolls her eyes and tugs at her long choppy bangs that typically swoop to the side, "So, the letters didn't work?!"

Natasha moves to stand and rushes them along, "I'm leaving to the Center in twenty minutes. Go change, now! Move it!"

* * *

Amelia pokes Riley with a smile on her face, phone in her hand;

"Riles, Lucy's on the phone with her mom AGAIN."

"So?," Riley pushes her with an elbow and reaches for her lipstick.

"It's getting weird. She talks about us."

The girl glares and throws her makeup brush, "Then stop making yourself something to talk about."

Amelia gasps and follows Riley out of their quarters, "I thought you hated her, because you can't read her mind-."

"Shut up! Who told you that?!"

"Um...Violet?"

"I don't hate her, she's just- annoying?"

"Okay well,' Amelia lifts an eyebrow, 'I have more gossip. About Natasha…"

"Hi friends,' Izabella waves with a smile and offers flyers, 'Steve say art at 11."

Riley snatches the paper sarcastically, "Yippee. I'll be with my guitar until 10:58. What happened to Natasha last night? She just disappeared on us."

Izabella lifts her shoulders and looks at her flyer with a wave, "Oh, nothing."

"I mean, you were there. She just ditches us now?"

"No, no. She not ditch-."

"I mean that's pretty much what happened."

"Actually,' Lucy interrupts and jumps with a slide onto the nearby, 'What happened was; Alex! Yeah, goofball Alex, got his paw stuck in the carpet, right?! And he was howling like dogs do and all that and he's pawing and like, crying with a little whimper you know? Those sad helpless puppy whimpers- so Aunt Nat got busy helping him and psh! You know, moms and their kids."

Riley holds her glare and blows the bangs from her forehead, "I don't, actually."

"Rigghhttt! Oh! Sorry! So so soooo sorry."

"Stop talking now."

"Anyways! That's what happened."

Riley rolls her eyes while Amelia panics, "Oh my god. Is Alex okay?! That poor sweet puppy!"

Her friend snaps, "She's lying! You idiot!"

Lucy waves her hand, "Oh! Yeah! Alex is totes fine-Now! After that crisis which I am absolutely NOT lying about. So! Art at 11? When archery, Sis?"

Izabella holds a grin and skims the page, "One, fifteen. Oh! Book club at 2:30! Yay! My favorite."

"You're such a nerd! Adorbs! So Riley! We need a do over on the courtyard."

The girl scoffs, "We really don't. You beat me, fair and square. Now if you don't mind…I wanna be by myself. In my bubble."

"Izzy? It's Uncle Tony," Stark is shouting from the bottom of the staircase while Antonia runs laps around her dad's legs.

Izabella heads for the banister and waves, "Hi."

"Hi,' he smiles, 'Do you have a minute for us to have a little chit chat in the lab? Brucie kinda sent me a list of things to work on until he gets here if that's cool? You and me?"

"Of course, I go now," she brushes her hair back and heads for the room. Lucy follows behind as if she's automatically invited. Brody catches up to the twosome and invites himself as well, starting up a conversation with Lucy who wraps an arm around his shoulders to talk about his game from the night prior.

Stark lifts a finger, "It's! Actually! Errr- secret mission. Just Izabella. The info is confidential."

Lucy crosses her arms. Brody arrows his focus and shoved his hands into his pockets;

"Mr. Stark, I respect ya and all but that's my sister. I go where she goes."

Lucy nods, "Yeah me too! What he said."

Izabella tilts her head, "Guys, no. It okay. I be out in a minute."

Brody lifts a finger, "No fair! Favoritism!"

"Favoritism? What favoritism,' Natasha seems to arrive just in time and pulls Izabella's shoulder, 'She's fine. We have training planned. She's with me for the hour-."

Tony glares, "Not according to my sheet."

"It was on mine- let's go Izabella."

The girl pivots twice, unsure who to listen to until Natasha finally pushes her away from the lab.

"Can we come?," Brody questions. Natasha nods and calls over Lucy and Amelia.

Stark shakes his head, tapping the banister, "Red?"

"I'm busy!"

"Let me know when Vi shows up," Riley slams the door.

Romanoff groans and opens it to yell at her young friend;

"Get up. Put your guitar down and grab your running shoes, now! If I have to ask you again I swear to god-!"

"Okay! Okay! I'm coming!"

Steve looks concerned as he passes through, listening to Natasha yell and seeing Tony's tense expression at the bottom of the staircase;

"Is everything good here? I'm sensing a little hostility…? I'm just wondering if we want that in front of the kids-."

The redhead forces a grin, her hazel green orbs wide with the threat of death;

"We're fine Steve. Talk to Tony, he's the traitor."

Stark defends himself incoherently, ready to fight with Natasha, "Wha-Why are you mad at me?"

She throws a hand on her hip, "You know what you did. Your friend knows what you two did."

"Contrary to what you might believe, I have a lot of friends-."

"The ignorant one."

"I ...do have many ignorant friends-."

"You're an asshole."

Rogers gestures for a standard timeout, "Okay enough. The both of you need to breathe. We're not arguing in front of the kids-."

"Perestan' vesti sebya glupo!"

Tony shakes his head with a nervous laugh, "I have no idea what you're saying!"

Steve drops his clipboard and moves to make everyone take a moment, "Okay, we're all going to take a minute to breathe…Natasha, you need to calm down-."

Her volume raises, "You did NOT just tell me to calm down!"

"You're just freaking out for no reason," Tony crosses his arms.

"I'm not. I'm disgusted by your moronic ideas and suggestions."

"Yeah, I'm gonna need specifics. I have a lot of those too!"

"Oh I'm aware."

Antonia is uncomfortable once her dad starts to get defensive. Rattled, she quietly runs to Izabella. Lucy is pinching her lower lip, debating on intervening and Riley is trying to get a read on everything.

Clint enters with his eyes wide, the loudest of the bunch, "What the hell is going on? Garrett and I can hear you all arguing from the damn yard!"

Laura has her own eyes wide, waving down the kids currently huddled at the top of the staircase behind Natasha and Steve. She whispers underneath the constant shouting, "Hey, why don't we all go outside for a bit? Lets um, let the adults talk…"

One by one the kids squeeze behind Natasha and move to meet Laura at the entryway.

Romanoff throws her hands up, disgusted by what she considers tag teaming from the boys, "I'm done. I'm done with all of this. You can go figure out training. I'm sorry I even showed up today. I'm just..done"

Steve tries, a hand over his head, "Hey, Natasha, we need to all talk this through. What is upsetting you-."

"Tony! Tony is upsetting me! I said that! He and Banner's dumbass ideas-."

Bruce enters as Laura and the kids exit, immediately tense over the shouting. He tiptoes inside, hands in his pockets;

"Guys?"

Natasha points, "And you...Mudak."

"Thanks. I see you're still in a great mood-Can you and I please go talk in private? Maybe not where it's going to cause such a scene?"

"Oh! My god. You did not just say that."

"Wait! Hold up! Is this about Betty?! That wasn't all my idea!," Tony finally remarks, connecting the dots.

Clint frowns, "What the f-...someone needs fill me in."

Natasha is humiliated now that it feels like all eyes are on her. She crosses her arms and storms down the stairs, heading for the exit, "I'm done! I'm done with all of you. You can all go to hell."

"Where are you going...Natasha...please" Bruce sighs, completely exasperated.

"To be alone! Don't follow me or I'll bring out your other half," Romanoff snaps and slams the door behind her.

* * *

Natasha is lining up her next dart for the board in front of her, black t-shirt crop top with a twist at the bottom. Her black leggings are on to match her top and her nails painted a deep blood red. Her hair tied back in a French braid and she feels like throwing up.

She squints and hurls it forward to nail a bullseye. Her hand reaches for a black tumbler and takes a swig. It's irresponsible, yes, maybe, but she's technically done for the day.

Being alone at the tower's gym, she justifies doing what she wants. Alex is currently locked out...even her beloved pet is pissing her off at the moment.

She twists her jaw and cringes over her vodka mixture that's more liquor than anything else. It's an unbalanced ratio and much more of a shot. When her next dart goes flying she has a thought to reach for the pistol on her hip- but that's going too far.

Then comes the guilt. She hops behind the bar to pour herself another drink. There's bruising on her arms now, for who knows what. Burst blood vessels on her covered thigh and exposed abdomen. She feels less than beautiful when she reaches for her next dart and flings it forward with a weaker swing. It's no wonder Bruce hasn't even tried to touch her as of late…

She takes another drink with more force, a frown on her face.

When she was 13 in the Red Room, Madam B would taunt her with words, cold and condescending, there was a quote well known and shared among the girls on a daily basis, 'Happiness comes with a price.' Anytime any of them were happy, it would be quickly ripped away. For one reason or another the day would end in tears- immature, emotional tears. A sign of absolute weakness to them.

She's watched each of her friends suffer for finding their happiness be it with themselves or with someone else. Attachments were forbidden. Love was forbidden. Friendships...forbidden. Happiness? Forbidden. A dangerous thing to find and impossible to hold onto. It always ends in pain.

During the past five plus years in the tower, with the man she loves, there have been ups and downs. She's lost him again and again but somehow they've always found their way back. And while she wouldn't trade a second, it surely feels as though her world is collapsing in this moment.

'Til we combust' rings in her ears. She's combusting herself. Attachments; It's what's caused her pain. From Izabella, from the job she loves, from Bruce- the man she adores. It's come back to bite her.

She sinks against the bar with her eyes closed tight and her head thrown back. She can't even stand for too long. Natasha is drained of all color minus the blush she put on her cheeks that same morning. The liner on her eyes filling in for the absence of any lashes she's lost this past week. She tugs at the end of her braid- even her hair feels thinner- and throws it back over her shoulder and grits her teeth.

With tension rising she feels her chest rise and fall at a quicker pace. There's a lump at the back of her throat and a pounding in her skull. She has a thought for the Hulk, wondering if this is how he feels on a regular basis...trapped. Boiling. Angry. Shoving everything inside until it absolutely needs to erupt in a volcanic explosion. There's not enough screaming or thrashing one can do to fully empty that feeling of pent up emotion, rage, love, sadness…loss.

The loss. The top assassin at SHIELD. The head spy. The one a couple of thousand people know. The one whose name makes them shake and set a reminder to go home and write their will. She's a threat, but more than that she's respected. There's a reverence when she walks into a room. Admired for her knowledge and skill...skill- what's left of it?

She flings another dart from her seated position and hits the top of the target. Her fingers roll the final two in her fist.

Probably for the first time in her life, she doesn't feel beautiful. Even during her darkest moments, Natasha could fake a smile. Drop a teasing comment and control a room full of men and women alike. Her body has always been a weapon, a shield, a perfect protection for every insecurity she holds inside. And now even it's betrayed her. Her scars have always made her self-conscious but bruises that won't fade? Bruises caused by slipping in her own apartment? For tripping over her own two feet?

Natasha stands and lines up for another throw.

She's weak. The muscles she's worked to tone are betraying her. Her stomach and high alcohol tolerance- betraying. Her mind she's worked so hard these past few years- with people who love her- who she's trusted, a mistake or not…betraying.

Natasha hurls the dart. She scoffs, her head down when she toys with the last one in her hand…

Elizabeth. This foolish, beautiful genius of an intellect taunting Natasha with her perfect symmetrical features staring back at her on the flyer she's found. She's youthful, full of vigor. Full of life and optimism. Has she even known pain?

It's selfish. Jealous. Maybe a little immature...Natasha can't help herself. This woman died whole. In her prime. Remembered for wanting to conquer the world- not defeated by it. Maybe it's the easy way out, when you have a legacy to leave behind.

Natasha tilts her head with her tongue on her cheek as she stares back at the woman who taunts her very being. She's not a jealous person...not usually. Something about Betty makes her stomach churn even more than the poison in her body.

Her lips quiver breathlessly, lost in her own thoughts. Betty could help these kids. She could nail Izabella's abilities and where they come from. Give her a cure if Izzy so desired it. Teach Riley, with love, about why she should open up her heart to feel. She would be the perfect aunt for Garrett, genuinely giddy without judgement for any shot he didn't make. Heck, she could probably tame Lucy and give her something to work towards.

Betty was a whole woman who had the opportunity to make a choice. A genius who went to college and decided her own fate. Who made a difference in the universe with her intellect and not some diminishing frame of an exterior. Someone who had a memory of a mother and who had a father- a flawed parent- but who still loved her to the moon and back, who at least tried.

For a brief moment in time Betty was a mom. She had a child...his child.

She was the first to touch the Hulk, the first to breach Bruce Banner's stubborn and battered heart. The woman who, no matter what, will always keep showing up first, and well, Natasha doesn't accept second place. In her eyes it only means she was just short of first.

She scoffs with a cold soul and throws her last dart. There's no ill-will...just pain. Pain and a constant reminder of what she can never have; What she can never be. With the hate turned inward she breaks down behind the bar. Not with tears, but with a stoic expression and a lack of energy stemming from her core.


	13. An Intervention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura Barton offers her two cents. The kids make a bet that could send Lucy back to California.

"There you are,' Laura smiles kindly, locating Natasha, 'I heard Alex barking."

She waddles in with a hand over her baby bump and camps on a bar stool. Natasha barely acknowledges her friend, her eyes falling toward the bump. Laura addresses her line of vision and attempts reassurance;

"Being pregnant isn't all it's cracked up to be. You better believe I'm never doing this again."

Natasha scoffs and throws her dart, "Garrett will be in college before Clinton Francis Barton Jr turns 5. He's going to want a little brother to play with."

Laura hums thoughtfully, an idle finger tracing her bump, "Yeah, we're not doing the 'Junior' thing."

"Killjoy."

Natasha takes two more hits before Laura addresses the target, "Is she the bitch of the hour?"

Romanoff sighs, rotating the dart in between her fingers, "Is it tasteless to curse a woman who is already dead?"

Laura frowns with her eyes focused on Betty's eyes in the picture, as if she's waiting for them to move, "I mean it's not the classiest. But I'm not classy…and she's not dead."

"I envy her," Natasha finally admits out loud, defeated.

"This is what I like to imagine all of Clint's scorned exes do on a Friday night; just put my face on a dart board and go wild. Got a dart for me?' she takes the one Natasha offers and analyzes the craftsmanship, 'I see you've borrowed Clint's mahogany collection."

"If I'm cursing, I might as well curse her in style."

"We could be doing voodoo."

"I thought about it."

"I have a book."

"Do I want to know why? Have you hexed Maria? Because that would make so much sense."

Laura laughs suspiciously, "Anyways.. I guess I'm still a bit confused as to what's going on."

"The boys didn't tell you-."

She sighs and then, makes a face, "No, they did. Their side of it, in their odd, geeky way. I want your side, now."

Natasha nods thoughtfully and explains her dilemma. Everything from her agitation in there being another Elizabeth Ross in the universe, to the specifics on the disease she's stuck with. Laura knows most of it already, but she supportively listens.

The spy brings up Izabella and her skills, demonstrating sincere concern for her favorite meta and if she can in fact handle warping to other dimensions with that much mass. They haven't tested on people since the incident in Russia, and if Natasha is being honest with herself, the idea of it is triggering.

"Do you think you can find a cure elsewhere? You are surrounded by geniuses, after all," Laura shifts with a groan and props up her swollen ankles.

"I don't know,' she looks down and turns back to her drinks, 'I also don't know if I want my cure to come from the woman Bruce assumes can solve all of the world's problems. Apparently Elizabeth,' she spats as if it were something sour, 'Knows stuff not even Jarvis has access too. Like a walking much more extensive Wikipedia, only, she's Bruce's ex-almost-wife."

"Aha."

Clint sneaks quietly through the door and takes a seat next to Laura, sneaking an arm around her waist and over her bump. Natasha is aware of his entry as she reaches to take back her darts, barely acknowledging his presence that feels so normal.

"What are you doing to my darts, Nat?"

She collects them all and sits at the barstool, next to the happy couple, "Shouldn't have left them where someone could just pick them up, Barton."

Laura leans forward and taps her palms over the bar, "Look; I just want you to get better. We both do. We have a baby coming and I want you to meet him, to get to know him. I get that you don't want to see this...bitch, I do-."

Natasha pivots, mentally signing off when she reaches for the vodka. Clint grabs the bottle and tilts his head toward Laura with a glare to Nat, "My wife is talking, you leave the vodka and listen to her."

Natasha retracts her hand slowly, never keen on lectures and just avoids rolling her eyes. She sinks and reestablishes guilty eye contact.

Laura directs her half eye roll for Clint, "You suddenly care about what I have to say?"

Natasha smirks at Clint's frown and tucks her head, brushing a hair behind her ear. The bruise on her forearm catches her eye and she swallows. Her fist clenches and releases, watching the new dark patch on her skin. She's tired. So tired.

Laura waits until her friend looks up to continue, "You need to talk about this with Bruce. Go tell him off, rip into him and get it out of your system."

"Is this what you two always talk about?" Clint questions with a bit of fear.

Laura snaps, "Shush Clint, your wife is talking!" She refocuses on Natasha, "And then, you two need to sit down and decide if this is really worth trying. In an open and honest conversation, you need to tell him exactly how this is making you feel. He's a man; he doesn't get it. Trust me."

"Hey!"

"He sees a problem and he automatically wants to fix it as quickly as possible. He loves you but that's blinding him right now,' she takes a breath, 'And then if you decide to- I know, I know. Don't yell, that's why I said 'if'- if you decide to try this, you need to see if it's something Izabella is willing to do, if she feels strong enough,…if her aunt even wants her to."

"Mean! You girls are up here mixing some drinks without me!" Tony stumbles inside of the bar, half ready to be punched by Natasha.

"Hi, I'm here too." Clint waves a hand.

"Hi girlie." Tony mocks making his friend scoff in protest.

Laura points at her belly, "I wish I was drinking."

Romanoff glares at him, much more viciously when Bruce enters behind the engineer.

Bruce stops and stands next to her and talks above a whisper, "Can we talk?"

Natasha crosses her arms, "Anything you want to say, you can share in front of them."

"Fine. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for losing my patience this morning. For swearing at you-."

"And?"

"And...?" He shakes his head. She turns to grab her darts. Bruce does a double take on the target, "Wha- Wait. Wait a second, why is Betty's article up on the wall-."

With a smug expression she stands with sass, "Don't worry it's not 'your' Betty."

Tony's gasp is met by Laura's who lets her jaw fall. Clint tucks his head and Bruce looks back at Natasha in shock and with embarrassment. He bites his cheek and starts tugging at his fingers with a heavy exhale, "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry, I saved the photo in your drawer for a bit of black magic tomorrow," Natasha lines up a dart, Bruce reaches to take it from her grip;

"Okay! I'm trying to talk. And you're-."

"I'm what, Bruce?," she baits him.

"I'm not going to say it."

"Say it."

"No."

"Do it!" Natasha pushes her hands against him.

At that Bruce loses it, backing away a few steps from her. "You're acting crazy! Okay?! I'm sorry but you are!"

"Am I?! I'm poisoned, I'm dying! And you want to take me to see a twin of your ex! I think I'm allowed to act a little crazy!"

When Romanoff turns back she whips a knife from her pocket and hurls it at the bullseye. She holds her stare down on the fallen darts at the floor, she can sense Bruce's glare on the back of her head, which she ignores and hands Clint the rest of the darts still in her hand;

"Thanks for letting me borrow these."

Barton nods quietly and watches as she walks off.

Laura leans forward, talking to Bruce "You don't actually keep a photo of your ex in your bedroom...right…?"

"You do NOT have to answer that," Tony retorts.

"It's not in our bedroom," Bruce sinks on a stool just behind him, his thoughts focused solely on how to reach Natasha when he's never seen her so angry at him.

Laura sighs when she checks her watch. She can't scramble away quick enough, her baby bump slowing her run, "We need to get Garrett and go home, I'm not driving in the dark...He's downstairs with Steve."

"That's just child abuse right there," Tony mumbles.

Bruce breaks, his focus on nothing in particular but straight ahead, "She hates me."

"You did call her crazy," Tony crosses his arms and a knee.

"I didn't meant to...I keep screwing up."

"Yep!"

"I just want to save her…"

"You're pushing her away in the process. When was the last time you two went on a date and didn't talk about the elephant in the room? Maybe instead of focusing so much on finding a cure, focus more on how she feels? On how she's doing?' Laura remarks as she grabs her light pink sweater, 'You need to listen to what she's saying and support her right now. I get it, I understand your side; we all want her to be okay. To find the best option possible. Obviously! But you can't fix anything until she wants to be fixed."

Bruce sighs and tugs his curls, "I can't listen to nothing. She won't talk to me. She'd rather come in here and threaten a picture before talking properly about it."

Laura leans over the bar stool, "She's chugged that bottle of vodka dry and it's not even 3:30pm. She doesn't need a cure right at this exact moment, I'm not saying she won't need a cure but she needs you more. Natasha needs to feel understood and supported. You two promised to do that in your vows when you got married, right? In sickness and in health?"

"They improvised but yeah...irrelevant. Carry on, Fierce Woman," Tony mutters.

Laura ignores with her eyes fixating on Bruce still, "So stay out of the lab and stop trying to fix her disease for a week, instead, go upstairs, give her a hug and figure out how to make her feel like the most important person in your world."

"This advice sounds familiar," Tony grumbles.

"Right now, Natasha is seeing you trying to convince her to go see the woman who, in another universe, and god knows how many other universes, you loved the most. Natasha's seeing you trust this woman blind. It's not rocket science- poor example...I think she'd be open to discuss this as a possible cure if she didn't feel threatened by Betty, who you two have fought over multiple times today. Am I wrong? It's discouraging, it hurts her pride. And if you talk about this naturally, instead of forcing it down her throat, and she still says 'no', then the answer is 'no'. It's her body and she gets to decide what to do with it. Ready to go Clint?"

"Ready," he stands, tense and eager to leave the room.

* * *

When Bruce quietly arrives at their shared apartment with a hand absent-minded clenching and fidgeting, Alex moves to greet him. Lucy is biting her thumbnail while Izabella sits on the edge of her seat in the corner with a pillow in her grasp.

The girls scream and both sit up to look at him, startled by his quick entry and the lights turning on the exact moment a gun on their screen goes off. Lucy clings to Izabella, while Izabella throws the pillow as if it electrocuted her. Watching a murder mystery in the dark probably wasn't their best idea.

Lucy scrambles back to look composed and the girls point in unison when Bruce sighs over their antics and asks for Natasha.

"The studio," Lucy says while Izabella elaborates;

"She eating her feelings."

Bruce moves for the studio door, knocking on the door before cracking it open. Through the mirror he can see Natasha glaring back. Her shoes are kicked off in one of his hoodies. She has the hood up with a few stray hairs poking through to frame her face. Her chin is down and her eyes are up, making her look far more threatening than he had ever seen her.

"Nat,' sinks slowly and sits on the floor beside her, 'I keep screwing up."

Her eyebrow lifts, a chunk of chocolate ice cream stuck in her cheek, "And?"

"And you deserve better from me. I've been so focused on getting answers, trying to fix everything...instead of, giving you my time."

She scoffs and scrapes her spoon against the bottom of her half eaten ice-cream. His words do mean something but there's a stabbing pain in her lung so she only manages a "Thanks."

"I love you, you're not crazy. I guess, if I'm honest, I've had a mental dartboard of your ex before, too."

He has half a thought to question what she's putting into her body, choosing instead to slip beside her and brush their shoulders together. Her head falls over his. When he plants a kiss over her forehead she fights back tears.

"Hey, Nat. Hey. It's okay," he tries to be consoling, wrapping an arm around her small frame.

Her cheek falls against his chest, clearly wanting to be held as she hides between the hood and his torso, grasping his shirt tight between her hands. Bruce holds her tight;

"It's okay Tasha. It'll be okay."

She sniffles, her lips a bright red to match her nose. His thumb brushes a tear while she shakes her head;

"What is wrong with me?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing-."

"I'm sick because I fell in love. It's karma."

"It's not- This wasn't supposed to happen."

"I've done so many fucking awful things-."

"Okay stop. I promised myself I'd listen but I'm not going to listen to that. To you beating yourself up. You're perfect to me. You're perfect! You're a good person. You don't deserve this. I'm sorry-."

"I don't want-."

"Sympathy, I know. I know,' he cups her cheeks gently, warm thumb over her skin, 'What do you want tonight?"

She looks confused, "...You're not going to the lab tonight?"

"No. It's an impromptu date night, I'm all yours."

"I'm not talking about her-."

"We are not going to even think about her. Okay?,' he says with a promising head shake, 'It's just you and me."

She lowers her eyebrows, using her sleeve to wipe her nose. She has rules about not being catered to but justifies the following because he owes her. Natasha narrows her focus;

"I want a massage."

"You got it."

"I want a glass of wine."

"Red or white?"

"I want spaghetti for dinner. With meat sauce. Homemade."

He huffs out a laugh, "I'll do it."

"I want to watch you play the piano."

"I had a feeling you'd ask."

Her eyes look up honestly, a little off color and dark but still perfect to him;

"Do you still find me pretty?"

It's one of the most vulnerable things she's ever said and so unlike her. It's not a test, she is sincerely doubting herself. Bruce reaches to take the hood off her head. His fingertips trailing her cheek to clear the tear stains. His eyes take her in, fingers tracing her hair next and land at the end of her braid. He grins quietly. The look on his face and the blush on his cheeks causes the corner of her mouth to hitch upward;

"Well?"

"I think you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met,' he runs soft hands over her shoulders, down her arms and encases her hands within his, 'I think you're the strongest, smartest, most admirable woman in the universe, and nothing can change that. You're perfect to me."

Her eyes close, trying to listen to his words, soaking them in. Her arms wrap around his neck with a twinge of sadness in her gut, even still. He kisses her forehead and leaves his hands on her waist.

"I- I loved Betty, I loved her so much, Nat. She was my everything, but then she was gone and you came in the picture. She is a part of my past and she will always be, but you're my present and my future, okay? It's only you now."

Natasha sighs, her eyes closed, she doesn't let go of him.

"If we found a cure, would you leave after? To protect me?"

Bruce pulls her close and rubs her back, "Tasha, I love you."

"Answer the question."

"I won't leave."

"I don't want you to do something stupid."

"Like?"

"Leave me."

He hugs her tighter. It's a genuine fear in her eyes that hurts his core, "I won't. I'm right here. Always...I made you a promise and I intend to keep it."

After a few minutes of silence, she has a thought that almost makes her laugh, "What are we going to do with the girls tonight? And Alex."

He sighs and kisses her nose, "I don't know. I say we send them to go crash with the Starks. After we ensure Lucy's alarm with the rap song goes off nice and loud at 6:30am."

She finally laughs, brushing her nose on his when her head falls.

* * *

It takes two weeks before Natasha starts talking- in her own way. She'll signal more than converse but she is making her feelings known and Bruce is understanding her cues a bit better. He's dropped discussing anything about Elizabeth and the name isn't even mentioned until one morning when Natasha returns from a heaving session.

There's blood on her lip, her face pale. She slips quietly back into their bed and lifts the blankets to cover herself with them. She sits upright against the headboard beside Bruce who tries not to stare. His arms are crossed and he's tense. Kind but quiet.

Natasha looks up and then back at her colorless fingernails. Swallowing her pride takes a bit more these days;

"I. Um."

She sounds broken. Her throat dry, her skin flushed of all color except the red in her cheecks from the pain, when she forces the rest of her statement;

"Let's explore the...ugh... alternate dimension...I looked her up and...stop gloating, Banner, before I regret this!"

He quickly schools his face, biting his lip and keeping his eyes away from her, still not speaking. She wipes a finger against her lip;

"I'm tired. And I'm tired of being tired. And if,' her hand rises and falls, 'if someone can figure out the Hulk, maybe they can also figure what's wrong with me, easily."

Bruce still doesn't speak. She turns her head with a nod, clearly on edge when she clenches her hand into a fist, "I should get ready for work."

It's hardly 'work' when Maria has her on eavesdropping duty. There are eighteen tapes to listen to with no due date...

"Hold on,' his fingers catch her shoulder with a brush, 'Just. Can I hold you? For a minute?"

"If you say anything at all about you being right or start rambling about what you think my cure is.-"

"I won't," he scoops her carefully into his arms and she sinks so easily against his chest, melting into his loose t-shirt.

"No -I told you so- either, or I swear-"

"My lips are sealed," his smile is lost in her hair, where she can't see it.

* * *

Riley is borderline squinting from frowning so hard, missing a chord on her guitar;

"Wait. What?"

Garrett cracks his knuckles, comfortable throwing a basketball up into the air just to catch over and over again, "I just said, Izzy is…"

"Taking Bruce and Natasha to the other world thing- I heard you, I know what you said."

Amelia arrives late, jaw agape, breathing hard, and holds the door for Kat as the two invite themselves into Riley's room;

"We heard gossip!"

"We know! Miss Natasha is leaving and Izzy can't play with me because she's busy learning how to do better magic! Everything's CANCELED!" Violet groans, sitting on the edge of Riley's bed.

Kat sighs, "I don't know what we're supposed to even do without Izzy. She keeps me sane around here!"

"What if Nat dies?! What if Dr. Banner's ex wife accidentally kills her!," Amelia panics.

Violet sits up with her bottom lip quivering and immediate red eyes. Riley sighs and puts her guitar down before reaching to strangle Amelia, "Now you got Vi in a tizzy! Great job, morons!"

"Does the doc have a death wish? I'm just sayin! I kinda have the inside scoop here and the tower has been pretty intense," Brody talks to the room and half to himself.

"Guys I'm so stressed out right now,' Brock has his face covered with a pillow, mumbling over a whistle that gets louder and louder, 'If that's Lucy, I might have to kill her."

"You guys are tripping right now. It's not a big deal. I was just sharing what dad told me," Garrett is quickly hushed as everyone stops talking in the hopes of avoiding the Jameson girl crashing their party.

The look of disappointment on Garrett's face is enough to make Riley head for the door…

"Don't!" Amelia snaps as Lucy enters.

"Heyyyy guys!"

"Hi Lucy…" everyone grumbles and returns to their activities as if she wasn't there.

"What's going on? What's happening- what's the teaaa… bubble tea obviously- tell me ya'll have had bubble tea!" She grins, oblivious to what's going on.

Garrett shimmies to make a space for her on the beanbag only for Lucy to pick a space on the bed beside Violet and Amelia to sit.

"You've been lying to us," Michael cuts to the chase.

Amelia chimes in, "You've hid information- that's not how teams work!"

"What?! I haven't hid anything! Psh. I don't know what's wrong with you all…"

"You keep secrets. That's not cool."

"I haven't-! I so swear like-."

"You lied about Nat! Our mentor! She's practically our mom! And YOU kept that she's sick a secret from all of us when you knew! We would'a just got a funeral invite and you didn't give us a chance."

"Wait! Like, so did Izzy! And Brody!" she tugs her shirt.

"We know Brody! We trust Izzy! I- we ALL don't trust YOU. We don't even know you. You hide all of your feelings with your mother. Talk about us and don't even have powers? What if you're here to spy on us? SHIELD kinda sent the guards when you showed up! Coincidence?!”

"Guys! Back off,' Garrett retorts defensively, 'It's not her fault."

"You can trust me! Mom's just like my best friend. That doesn't mean you can't trust me," Lucy is laughing through her frustration, eager to prove herself.

"It's not even like you have powers to duke it out and prove you're worthy of even being here."

Riley smacks Amelia for the remark.

Lucy stands in a fury, "Is that what you want? Me to complete like! Some challenge? I'll do it! I'm not scared of anything- And I don't need powers to beat you!"

Garrett stands in an attempt to calm her, "Okay, stop. Both of you."

"Great! Tuesday! The 9am session with Barton!," Kat sets her bet.

Lucy wavers in her standing position, "Err, actually, Uncle B and Aunt Nat leave in the morning…I wanna say goodbye to Izzy."

"Fine! The day after! The summer semi-finals. It's your team versus Riley's!"

The Proctor girl looks up, "Mine?! Why are you volunteering me?"

Kat pivots, "Outside of Izzy, you're the coolest person here. You can read Lucy's mind!"

"I'm not versing her for semi-finals- she doesn't even know what that means. You guys bully her for no reason-."

"You started it!"

"I had a reason!"

Violet hides. Amelia's eyes widen in a reminding panic over their friend's lack of abilities when it comes to working on Lucy. Riley snaps for her to shut up;

"I'm fighting for her to stay. I'm on her team. Fair and square. And if our team wins; This bullying crap stops! It's so lame!"

"Wow...really?," Lucy stands, eager to earn her place on the team.

"Yeah," Riley is still unable to breach her mind. She nods, even though Garrett's obsession with the Jameson girl is pissing her off.

Lucy pouts, "Aww! Can I have a hug?"

"No."

Brody lifts a finger, "I'll be on their team."

Garrett spins his basketball and weighs his options, "Guessing you guys don't want me?"

"Of course we want you! Why wouldn't we? We always want you on our team!," Lucy walks over to tussle his hair while Riley and Brody cringe.

Kat laughs, "You want him. On a game...that requires aim...yeah, it doesn't matter how good you and Riley are, you idiots are so screwed now. I'll head up the opposition then! And we get everyone else. Pack your bags Lucy!"

"Oh you're so on! You're messing with a California girl hashtag daughter of the she-hulk! You guys are poking the BEAST!"

"Yeah, don't bring that up so much. Nobody cares and you're not that scary," Brody coaches.

"I'm not scary?"

"No."

"Wait but why-."

"Stop talking."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wouldn’t be possible without your kudos, comments and fabulous contributions from mir_sawyer. 
> 
> Thanks everyone! 
> 
> Back to writing...”See you in a minute...”


	14. Sandy Situations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Starks take the kids on a beach. Progress is made on traveling to Elizabeth 2.0

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the comments!
> 
> You guys seriously keep this going. Thank you! Hope you enjoy!

Tony and Pepper have an idea to take the kids off to the beach and out of the center for a day. He's a stress case when it comes to counting heads and ensuring they're all staying together, almost tempted to tie them all together so no one strays off. Steve and Svetlana are volunteer helpers for the day to give Bruce and Natasha a day to themselves and Izabella a few hours of fun.

Lucy is miles ahead and headed for the boardwalk already with Izabella, Brody and Garrett following her... Tony yells for a headcount and promptly gives Steve a lecture on how to watch the kids, a lecture he assures to make into a Rule Book soon enough.

Pepper shakes her head and intervenes with Antonia in her arms, "What Tony means to say is, thank you for volunteering to help us out today!"

"Svetlana: you're a doll who can do no wrong. But you,' he pivots back to Steve, 'Don't screw up, Cap-Sticks! Any kid that goes missing is an automatic flaw on your record."

"Tony," Pepper scolds.

Stark replaces the sunglasses on his face and taps a wristband, "I'm in charge of Violet. Brought some tech to slow this girl's roll here. And, no matter how hard she cries, no matter how much she begs, nobody removes that bracelet from her wrist or we'll never catch her!"

Pepper is horrified, "Where are her parents?!"

"We are her parents for the day! Yeah! I know! Natasha told EVERYONE at SHIELD and the Center that it was a beach day. So! Everybody says it in unison, 'Thank you, Red for screwing us over'! A little louder, I couldn't hear anyone…"

Steve looks on, arms crossed with an eye on the water, "Well. I'm going to swim, since the kids I'm in charge of are already in the water-."

"You-! You got Brody and the boys?! What?! God! Red really screwed me-Lucy! What the fudge is that?!"

The Jameson girl smirks and lifts the drink, brushing a stray hair from her face, "I got my bro Brody and soul sister Izzy mocktails! You want one?"

He reacts as though that should've been obvious. She snickers with the straw from her coconut drink still in her mouth and digs back into her backpack for her mom's credit card.

"It's on your mother?! Awesome,' Tony points to Pepper, 'Get one for my wife and Svetlana too. Water-wait, nothing, nothing for Cap. I changed my mind."

Lucy gives a thumbs up. She'll get one for Steve anyways- her mother's favorite. She tugs at her short black meshed kaftan for a coverup and urges Izabella to follow her back up to the kiosk. She tugs up her purple tied skirt, to match her bikini top, and follows along.

"I've never seen Tony like, so uptight." She says kicking her feet on the sand.

Izabella plucks a flower from the hibiscus at the front of the kiosk to tuck it in her hair, "He stressed. Normal. It is too big of a group for him."

Her friend acknowledges the flower Izzy's holding "I think you prefer purple but like, pink might be your color. It pops on you."

"It pops, does it?"

"Yeah just, pop! Just like that."

The cashier demands their attention so Lucy places her order for three more virgin piña coladas.

When the order is complete, Lucy continues as they walk back to the beach, "So, what color would your superhero outfit be? Like! What would it look like?"

Izabella holds two of the coladas, while Lucy juggles the rest, and thinks it over, "Maybe, it is yellow and purple."

"Hmm. Yellow works on you,' Lucy takes a sip from her drink and is already onto more questions, 'Skirts or leggings?"

"Skirt, maybe? Maybe legging more practical."

"Have you ever dyed your hair?"

"No?"

"Would you?"

She shrugs, "I not do pink."

"Dang it! That's exactly what I was thinking would be so super sick! Pink streaks, like my blue. Ooh! Okay! Would you pierce your ears?"

"Maybe," Izabella just watches cautiously as Lucy skips around her.

"I could totally do them for you if you want! I have two in both ears and it's so like! It's nothing! Mom and I are getting matching tattoos when I turn 18. Would you get a tattoo?"

Izabella laughs, "Your mom is cool. My aunt? Kill me! Mertvyy- dead."

"Oh wow. That strict?"

"Yeah."

"But she's letting you do the dimension thing and like, go away for a week?"

Izabella shrugs with a cringe, "After Vrach talk a long time to her, she say okay, but I know She is not entirely...happy about it."

Lucy frowns, hearing her mother's voice in the back of her head, "Okay but like! You're happy, right? Your aunt is nice?"

Izabella nods, "Oh yes! She wonderful!"

"Okay! Good. Cause like, mom is so passionate about helping abused kids. She has a whole foundation actually. Supposedly! My grandparents rocked so. Maybe they started it? I don't know. But like, yeah."

Izabella nods, curious about her friend's scholastic endeavors being that Lucy never discusses it, "Where do you want to do school?"

"Like, College? That's funny,' Lucy laughs and chews her straw, 'I need to graduate first so, who the she-hulk knows! A party city, obviously!"

Izzy finds Lucy amusing. She has no attention span but family is important to her. And she likes to have fun- maybe even break Izzy out of her comfort zone and bend a few 'rules' in the process.

Tony takes his drink with a lecture once the girls arrive, "...mm'kay, for future reference don't hand things to me-."

Pepper taps his shoulder, "He's fine. Thank you girls."

Izabella crouches to play with Antonia in the sand and Lucy joins them seconds later;

"What'cha building?"

Antonia mumbles in her baby voice, far too busy in her construction to be disturbed.

Izabella translates, "A castle."

"Looks like an ant hill to me but sure! Let's go with castle! Great job Antonia!," Lucy claps.

Tony crouches to invade, dumping a little sand on Anna's head. She reaches a small hand up and frowns at him dramatically, a glare that's all Pepper, he swears;

"Daddy no!"

"It wasn't me, it was mommy."

She doesn't believe him and huffs, returning to her building. Pepper crouches next, brushing a hand through her daughter's hair to remove the sand with a heavy sigh, rolling her eyes at her husband.

Izabella reaches into her own to offer the hibiscus, "Here Anna; I have a present for you. It's pink."

Lucy lays a hand over her chest, "Oh my god! You're speaking amazing English today Izzy, I just have to point that out! I'm almost as proud as when Henry Higgins and Iliza Doolittle-...you're looking at me like I have six heads-oh my gawd! That'd be a sick power! People would be like 'Imma rob a bank' right? And then like you show up and like! Scare them and start growing heads out the shoulders, all like. Grrrr! Like a Cerberus-Hulk, the Hulkberus! Or-or Cerberhulk!"

Antonia reaches to her mom with the flower in her hands, with wide beady eyes. The girls all chuckle while Pepper mutters, "Oh no. Does mommy have to put that in your hair now?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay. What do we say?"

"Pweaaassseeeee!"

Lucy brushes her side and wrinkles her nose, "The sand feels weird."

"East coast," Tony mumbles.

"Should've brought my longboard! Could've skated along the boardwalk."

"That would have been fun," Izzy looks disappointed.

"Okay so! You should come to Cali sometime. After Aunt Nat gets fixed-

"-Hey Izzy,' Brody comes running up, damp from the ocean, 'there's a bunch of really cool shells down by the water. Found you this one."

His sister takes the half clam, checking over the inside, "Thank you, Brody."

"You're gonna paint it aren't you," Lucy mutters.

"Probably," she chuckles.

"Do you collect them or just find like, one good one to paint."

"No, I collect. Small collection."

"Oh! That's what's in your jars in your room! I saw those. Duh, you told me that,' Lucy nods with a click of her tongue, 'Well! Okay! Like! Do you wanna goooo, look for some more? Ooh! We could all go play volleyball as a team!"

Brody scoffs as he walks back toward the water, "You're not going to get the rest of the girls to stop sunbathing. Good luck tryin' to do anything as a team! The guys and I will play though, just let us know if you go over."

Izabella stands and reaches down to help up Lucy, "Shell hunting first?"

"Shell hunting it is!"

When Lucy moves to take her hand the two girls stumble a bit. Izzy laughs and lifts her friend's sleeve, "You do weight lift or something?"

Lucy laughs, "Maybe? Is that weird? It's weird-."

"It cool."

"Hey! Let's poke Riley on the way to the water!"

"Okay, gentle poking," Izabella laughs.

* * *

  
Izabella arrives at the lab the next morning with blushing cheeks and a fresh flower in her hair. Natasha smirks, her elbows up on the counter while she waits for Bruce to see it first.

The physicist is oblivious so she snickers and addresses their young friend;

"I like the flower."

Izabella touches and bites her lip, "Thanks."

"Does it come with a story?"

The girl shrugs and clutches her book as she sits in the chair behind Banner, "No. I will draw it later."

"How was the beach? Did you kids have fun?" Bruce asks when he finally acknowledges her. 

Izabella nods and laughs through her story, "Yeah. We play volleyball and we beat the boys."

"Yes! I'm so proud,' Natasha wants to trigger Bruce, so she pries, 'Anyone sweep you off your feet? Lead you down to the ocean for a kiss?"

Izabella blushes, "Um…no. Maybe one day."

Bruce looks over his shoulder, eyes narrowing. Now that Romanoff has him right where she wants so she keeps talking, "Garrett is pretty cute."

The doctor looks like a father who has just had his daughter stumble home after curfew, a lecture on the tip of his tongue while he just quietly listens to the girls.

Izabella nods, "Yeah. Michael too."

"Oh! So you like Michael."

"Maybe," she blushes with a chuckle.

"Kissing him could be magical."

The fact that they continue in English to discuss this sets him off. 'Magical', Natasha doesn't use the word 'magical'. This is Natasha, he's thinking about, the woman who thought love was for children….and Izzy and Michael are children...Well, shit. Fat chance he'll let anyone date Izabella before she's eighteen anyways- Bruce stands and lays his papers on the desk with a glare;

"Okay! Back to work. Izzy, I need you to memorize these numbers. We only have one shot at this. Are you ready to test it?"

She nods, focused and determined, while Natasha tries to hide her laugh with a chin tuck.

"Sorry I'm late, Brucie. It's been a morning from- heck," Tony mumbles with a baby spoon in his mouth, a tired Antonia on his hip and her small sippy cup on her hand.

"You look like shit," Clint finally speaks up from the corner in a round of solitaire, Bruce jumps, he hadn't even realized the Archer was there.

"Watch the language. Kids are present," Steve scolds.

"Guess it's time for me to leave.." Barton questions Natasha.

She shrugs, "You should know where we're going."

"Obviously. I'll just drive through the dimension and if you get lost, you can call me on that fabulous Stark phone of yours." She scoffs. He stacks his cards and makes his way to the door with a salute, "Fill me in, in English, later."

Lucy catches the door when it swings open, knocking her in the head;

"Geez! Luce! You good?," Clint immediately feels bad for knocking her in the head in the loudest accidental thunk of the month. Even Natasha cringes.

"Um, ow?! That's gotta hurt," Tony addresses the noise.

She doesn't even seem phased or like she's even felt it, plowing through to take her favorite spinning chair and talk with Izabella about a new coffee combo.

Stark snickers to himself, trying to get his daughter to eat more of her oatmeal while he comments on Lucy's accident, "That kid is a tank."

"Are you concussed? Does it hurt?" Barton is hovering to ensure the kid he's just bashed in the head is alright.

The girl waves and huffs to blow her bangs from her forehead, spinning in her chair, "I'm totally fine! I'm so great!"

"Shouldn't you ice it at least?" he insists.

Bruce reaches for a pen with a light on the top, calling over Lucy, "Come here for a second."

"What? Why? I'm fine."

"I know, just come here. I'm going to check your eyes…"

"They're fine."

"-for concussion signs-."

She laughs, "I don't have a concussion."

"Lucile, your mother will murder me if you get even a scratch on you and I don't do anything- just come here, please."

"Okay, okay! Calm your butt Uncle B."

She takes her time, scooting in her favorite chair toward Bruce. She loves the wheels- too lazy to stand up. He waits, checking the light on his pen to ensure it won't hurt her eyes when she has an ADD moment;

"Hey Uncle B? Have you ever realized your initials are like, Bed and Breakfast? You could open one! It would be like, 'B.B by B.B on the front sign and no one would know what it stands for! Think about the marketing campaigns you could launch!"

Bruce looks up with a pause and a furrowed brow, his eyes meeting hers. He twists his jaw- she doesn't need an exam- busy swinging her legs and looking up at him, clearly proud of herself. He abandons his instrument with a sigh;

"She's fine."

"I brought a gizmo for you, Izzy," Tony addresses the box on the table. The Mikhailov girl stands and moves to open it, locating a thin and elegant silver chain with a small crystal sphere in the middle. He smirks, "Classy right? It'll help you channel where you wanna warp, like a map, sort of. Give it a whirl."

Izabella puts it on eagerily while facing Natasha, who scolds her, gently, in Russian for her to turn around and watch where she's aiming her hands at.

"Test it on Lucy-," Tony can barely finish his statement before Bruce panics and tells Stark to shut up.

Lucy jumps up excitedly, "I volunteer! It sounds sick!"

Steve steps forward, "I'm the test run. that's why I'm here. A quick one second trip. Any last minute advice, Dr. Banner?"

Bruce shrugs, "It's a little disorienting so; Don't throw up...? Keep your eyes closed during the transport."

"Alright then...Miss Izabella, whenever you're ready."

Natasha jumps back into the counter and taps the spot next to her for Lucy to sit and watch.

With a determined finger wiggle from Izabella and a gentle nod, she gets Steve's last minute permission before using her mysterious green energy to evaporate the Captain.

Natasha jumps initially. The sight of the green fog not sitting entirely well with her. With Bruce beside Izabella, she follows his numbers and coaching, extending her hands with a deep breath to bring Steve back.

Rogers stumbles a bit upon arrival, looking exactly the same. Romanoff leans forward;

"You alright Cap?"

He nods, "Great. It worked...Gosh, New York is a strange city in that world."

"What it look like?," Izabella asks curiously.

Steve tries to process his one second encounter, "Well…It was an alleyway so I didn't see much, really. A lot of lasers? 'Techy'? Is that a word? It was reminiscent of when I first woke up-"

Tony rolls his eyes, "No one cares-"

"It kind of looked like that movie Bruce showed Thor and me..Star Wars? Yes! It looked like Star Wars!"

"Did you just...Did you just make a pop culture reference?" Tony looks like he could burst into tears at any moment and Bruce had that Proud Dad Trademarked look on his face.

Antonia broke the moment by clapping, "Do magic!"

Tony smiled at her, looking tense, all the happy tears gone. "No, you avoid the magic. Magic can be very dangerous."

Natasha crosses her arms, frowning, "Why would you bring the baby to test day if it's oh so dangerous?"

"Here, hold my kid Red. I wanna see the deets of what Brucie is doing over there," Tony passes off Antonia, ignoring her first question.

Natasha takes the baby as she wraps her small arms around her,

Bruce checks in before finalizing another set with Izabella, "Cap? Are you good to go again?"

Steve nods, happy to be the guinea pig in their project and takes his position where Izabella can warp accordingly. It's a long afternoon of testing though everything goes off as planned.

They have two days to get it right and Bruce is going to use every minute to ensure Izabella is safe and knows exactly what she's doing.

They set a going away plan later that night leaving Alex with the Bartons and Lucy at the Center. Riley is all but thrilled to share more time with the Jameson girl- absolutely pissed over having Lucy take Linda's old room though she'll never admit to it.

Banner's call to his cousin Jennifer is vague on the topic of where he and Natasha are off to, but elaborate on the Center's security and exactly who is left in charge. Hearing the name 'Steve Rogers' is enough for Jen. And Lucy seems excited on her own separate phone call...and the two video calls that follow.

Natasha decides to take a walk with Riley before heading home Monday evening, eager to check on her young protegee after being absent for so long. It's her last day before leaving the Center and it feels like a good enough reason to spend it mostly with her.

Riley is the champion at suppressing her emotions and even though Romanoff has that same skill, the girl can easily pick up on the stress, confusion, and overall anxiety in Natasha.

"I hope you can get a cure and stuff," Riley stops to pick up a penny she's spotted on the ground.

The redhead nods, "I will. And I'll be back here before you know it."

Riley fiddles with the copper circle, "So, I guess... Have you heard from Linda?"

Natasha smiles, "Linda is doing great. I got a letter from her mom, I can show you."

"No, it's okay. I don't really want to know..."

"Hey,' Natasha sits on the bench and taps the spot next to her, 'As soon as I get this whole SHIELD mess taken care of, and can stand up for more than an hour, I promise you; your file is at the top of the adoption bin. I trust Fury to resolve this issue, and when he does? We're going to find you a family. I promise."

Riley forces a smile and flips her coin, "I think I believe you."

"You think?"

"Yeah. It's me. I don't trust easy- What'da ya want?"

Natasha rolls her eyes, it's like looking in the mirror at her younger self sometimes.

Once at home she's eager for time with Alex, ready to chase him through the halls until Bruce reminds her to take it easy, one of these days she'll make a mistake and call him "Dad”- that won’t end well. 

She settles with a book and a groan and Alex takes his opportunity to jump onto the couch to rest his head on her lap and sprawl out to take up the other half of the couch. Bruce settles on the floor in front of them with his own book, content to stay there forever when Natasha's hand makes its way in and through his curls.

Things are calm and quiet until, too soon and too fast, the Mikhailovs show up- Svetlana and Izzy going off in Russian about what she should pack with her while Brody and Lucy argue over who actually won the game of laser tag. Lucy is carrying the pizza in one hand as the crew invite themselves into the couple's apartment.

Natasha shares a tired smile with Bruce. Time alone would have been perfect but something about the chaos of this summer feels like home. And Natasha needs the distraction.

* * *

  
Everything is planned excessively. According to some 'simple' research, Elizabeth Ross 2.0 should be somewhere in the New Mexico of the other Earth. So a quick warp to another universe and a flight- assuming that's the method of preferred transportation for longer travels- and they should be able to find her quick. Mikhailov could probably do another warp fairly easily provided everything goes as planned.

Izabella is practicing in spurts, toying with the green energy in one hand while she clutches the crystal on her necklace with the other. If Svetlana would stop hugging for just a moment, Izabella could rehearse with the nearby plant the way Bruce keeps asking her to try.

Lucy found a ball she's currently catching with Garrett and he's on the struggle bus even with the baseball. She eyes Steve's shield, "Ooh! Can I throw it? Plleeaassseee?!"

Rogers stands in front of it protectively, wondering what he's gotten himself into as the Center's primary caretaker for the week, "I'd rather you didn't."

Riley picks at her nails and the rest of the kids are all waiting for Natasha who steps out of the Center with Clint.

"I'm here!," She stumbles a few steps.

Bruce releases an exasperated sigh to see she's got a bottle in hand. Even Clint looks drained when he catches up, "Found her."

When Tony hugs Pepper and Antonia goodbye Bruce scratches his head, "Wha- What are you doing?"

Tony grins and takes his place up beside Natasha, Bruce and Izabella, "I'm coming with you. Come on, I need a dad break!"

"I really don't think-."

"Let'im come,' Natasha slurs and she's too drunk for English, 'He'll keep us razvlekali."

"Okay,' Bruce carefully takes the bottle from Natasha, 'We really want Elizabeth to help us so I need cooperation. She's quiet and orderly, being too obnoxious is going to scare her off so can we have a little respect? Maybe punctuality? A little class as we breach an entire other universe... Maybe we can try and act like adults?" That last part is clearly directed at Tony and Natasha.

Izabella nods, hanging on his every word, although she's the very last person he's worried about. Natasha looks about ready to fall over and not from her illness, precisely. Tony is grinning and the size of his duffle says he's packed for more than a week...Bruce sighs.

Clint huffs an exhale, taking his spot with Laura and waves to the departing crew in pure amusement, "Good luck."

Natasha stumbles and takes the vodka back from Bruce, winking at him. Izabella lifts her hands and positions herself with a breath.

"Wait,' Lucy yells, runs and wraps her arms around her friend one more time and lets go, 'okay, now you can go. Take care of Uncle B and Aunt Nat."

Svetlana interrupts right after with one more from her. Brody smiles and offers reassurance. Izabella takes a breath and settles in her stance beside Bruce who is ready to coach her through the entire process. She's focusing hard, a green mist gradually encircling them. Her hands are straining but she's optimistic, cringing slightly when she adds more force.

The look on Lucy's face distracts Izabella- the yellow in her eyes…

With a tightening of her neck she panics over the recollection of the visions she's seen in her hands before. The morbid outcome and the horrors this gold eyed meta brings…

Cap's Shield is destroyed, Thor is bleeding out now, Antonia is covered in dust and debris, and Tony is….

...yelling?

"Kid! You wanna get us out of here?! Before the Black Widow comes out and starts shooting up someone?!"

Izabella seems to open her eyes and finds herself stuck in a world she doesn't recognize amid an extremely peaceful scene. She jumps back slightly over the large green Hulk busy playing catch with what look like two smaller sized Hulks? She looks around and her eyes bug out at the gorgeous...person..alien..someone..sunbathing close to the..happy scene?

"Don't listen to him, Skar! Throw!" The bigger Hulk yells with a laugh.

She's too confused, gaping and scrambling to reset her abilities.

"Dad! Here, look!" One of the smaller Hulks picks the ball instead and Natasha snaps, sobering up immediately after putting the pieces together, looking ready to murder someone no matter how tight Bruce is holding her, and ready to pick a fight;

"Who the hell is she?!"

"I don't know!" Bruce yells defensively. "I have never seen her in my life!"

Izabella warps them again, the fastest one yet, probably a mistake, again...this time straight in the middle of the past, ducking as a Chitauri creature charges above them.

Tony mumbles, "Closer…Look it's me! About to save everybody's ass. Man, my suit looks dusty...Wait! You can time travel?!"

"It's clearly another world you idiot, I would never wear that,' Natasha points to her presumed doppelgänger, jumping off Steve's shield, 'Looks like I'm a brunette in this world, what do you think Bruce? More your type? Or would you rather I grow three more feet and tint my skin grey?"

He growls and rolls his eyes, avoiding her glare. Izabella grits her teeth and tries one more time, nerves beginning to get to her.

This time they land in New York, a high tech city as explained by Steve. It glows even in the daylight with its clean streets and tall buildings. The girl bends at her waist and pants;

"I do it?"

"Nice,' Tony lifts his sunglasses, ready to nerd out in this fabulous world of advancement, 'This look familiar Brucie?"

Banner pivots, taking in the buildings, "Well. It's not Russia. Same vibe though."

Natasha's arms are crossed when she smiles smugly, "Should we expect to see Hulk and his adorable family here as well?! Any other wife you suddenly forgot to tell me about? More surprise children who come knocking on our door asking for 'Daddy'?!"

Bruce stammers with an adorable blush, looking confused, "I- I um. I don't know what you're talking about.."

Hulk seems to disagree, fighting Bruce over seeing he has a better future elsewhere. Banner cracks his neck hoping to hurt his alter ego in some way and make him shut up.

Stark snickers, he'll poke Banner about it later, "So! Transportation?! Or is Izzy up again?"

"Right, we should get going..."

"We're following you."

Romanoff looks somewhat satisfied to see that Bruce doesn't have all of the answers, "Feeling a little lost?"

Bruce circles, brushing by Izabella with a shoulder squeeze in gratitude and leads Natasha through, "This way."

"Why'd you leave this place again?," Tony mutters.

Natasha stops to locate and chug a shooter from a hidden pocket, "YA zadolbalsyaaa."

"You don't need that," Bruce takes it before she can finish and tosses it into a nearby trash can that absorbs it immediately.

Izabella's curiosity is piqued as she watches a tree glow and transform. It is a whole other world.

Tony wraps an arm around her shoulder to lead her along, "Come on now, focus-Woah! Is that a holographic prosthetic on that guy?!"

The two stop in awe, both wondering how it works.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All credit for the B and B joke to mir_sawyer, I died! SO GOOD. Lol!


	15. No Good Deed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce and his team meet up with Betty 2.0. Riley takes a few shortcuts in order to ensure Lucy stays.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays! :)

Lucy is talking...again and Riley has a headache that won't go away. It's a bad combination leaving her so ready to snap. She chooses to just ignore, toning her out and walking out of the room without a warning and leaves the Jameson girl talking to no one. The idea of it makes her chuckle. Not two steps away and Garrett meets her with a smile. Riley gives him one back, greeting him and asking about the competition when she's cut short by asking her where to find Lucy.

Riley bites her tongue and points up the staircase without a word. The way he charges up the stairs and heads straight for the new girl makes her stomach churn. She forces the emotions down even further and heads for the courtyard to practice her own game.

Clint has a two part challenge with a program he's initiated. With a goal of finding a kid he can mentor and coach properly, it's all based on how well they shoot and work as a team. A top contender gets an article in the paper the next morning which usually leads to getting the public interested in the center which in turn means more adoptions.

This year, with the adoptions on hold, Clint's motives of finding his protegeé is somewhat selfish. And his money is on the Jameson girl- a kid that can finally shoot and master complex strategies with little coaching. He adores his adopted son more than anything else in the world, but he's also realistic and knows when the children should ever find themselves out on the field, sadly, Clint knows Garrett is always going to be the cheerleader left on the bench.

Riley isn't a terrible shot, which is why Clint was chosen as her first mentor. Her mind reading abilities give her an edge over most opponents and she can plan her next shot accordingly and fast. Riley's problem is her focus and lack of effort, and while it's fun to learn a few things from the masters and learn to build up her self defense strategies and harness her abilities, Riley is far more interested in getting a family than in being a hero. Even so, getting back on Clint's radar wouldn't be bad for her popularity in and out of the center what with Natasha so flaky and Thor never around.

Michael and Amelia hit the courtyard next, suiting up and taking a few practice shots beside Riley. Brody arrives and quickly takes up a bow that's not being used;

"Where's our team? Why aren't they practicing?! Lucy could one hundred percent be going home-!"

Riley mumbles only after taking another shot, "They're coming. If Lucy would shut up for ten minutes."

Amelia laughs after overhearing Riley, "She's screwed! And you're still supporting her."

"You know what, Amelia?,' Riley drops her bow finally having enough, 'I'm here to win. And it's not for Brody, it's not for Lucy, it's for me. So you should sit your butt down and focus on your own game."

The other girl nods and humbles up. Whatever Riley says goes in Amelia's brain. When Riley's in a mood, the center straightens up fast unless they want their thoughts breached and their true feelings revealed in front of the other kids and mentors.

Lucy and Garrett arrive together, giggling and talking. Riley is ready to spit nails when she sees Jameson's hand playfully push on Garrett's shoulder. She rolls her eyes and tucks her head with a jealous blush, taking up another arrow.

Lucy skips over to Riley, tugging at her black crop top, "What up, what up, Sister! Mind if I-."

Riley snaps, flicking her hand to the side, "I don't care what you do, but you need to shut up because you've given me a headache that I can't seem to shake since 8:00 last night!"

"Oh! Sorry, like, sorry. Wait, was it my singing?! I can totally try to sing less tonight if my vocal practice- I don't want to make you mad because we're like totally gonna get to know each other now and like be best friends and stuff and-!"

"Please, Lucy!' Riley's smile looks strained even for her, tears in her eyes while her hand shakes in frustration, 'Stop! Talking!"

"Oh, okay," Lucy pivots to take a practice shot, already back to talking with Garrett purely because he'll listen and let her ramble on about how her vibe of the day is based on some Broadway character, switch to going off about surfing at the California beach in an ADD moment. It's even worse when she starts talking to Brody, asking if he's okay. The boy shakes his head;

"No? I miss my sister and I hate archery."

And there's her mouth again;

"Yeah, I miss Izzy so much too! She's the nicest person here like, straight up the nicest person like-ever. Wait! You hate archery? Why do you hate archery?"

Riley is ready to scream, or better yet, shoot Lucy with an arrow straight to her vocal cords, which is why she's relieved when Clint shows up with his rules for the day-long competition. Hitting a target releases a flag with the corresponding color, collecting them from the wide courtyard space and meeting back at the start.

Brody is already strategizing, "Garrett, you and I are on 'grab the flag duty,' the girls will shoot…"

Garrett nods, a little insulted even if he knows it's a good plan.

"No Stark tech! It's an automatic disqualification," Clint's requirement is met with a few groans and Kat takes off her wristband, looking innocent.

Riley eyes two of their team blue targets from a distance and elbows Lucy, "I go right, you go left."

Jameson chuckles, "Wait why?! Why wouldn't I just-."

"If you want to stay here, you'll listen! Go left. The right is up a rafter so it makes sense I go for the harder target first," she retorts in a whisper.

"Go! You have twenty minutes for the first section," Clint starts his stopwatch and watches the blue crew with high expectations.

Yet again, the red team has more people. Strike one for an imbalanced team- he writes it down with an eye roll. Steve steps out to meet Barton, hands on his hips;

"They're starting out strong. Violet is on target 2."

"Yeah well her speed is irrelevant when she's not the one shooting. Now Kat's crushing Thor's garden."

Rogers thinks he's going to scold, "Now now, Miss Katriana, you know better than that. That garden means a lot to Thor."

The girl sticks her tongue out and continues to do what she wants, trying to take a shortcut.

Clint sighs and puts a big X near Brock's name, "That kid is hopeless."

"It's only been five minutes-." Steve tries

"I don't need to see anymore."

. . . . . . . . . 

* * *

  
Bruce is scrambling through his notebook, comparing it the closest thing to a 'phonebook', as the crew sit at a table in a coffee shop.

Natasha is holding her head in her hands while Tony analyzes the square mug in front of him, wondering if the coffee is made the same way and even with the same ingredients. Izzy taps the window, lightly kicking her foot against a backpack underneath the table;

"Are you from New Mexico, Vrach?"

Tony interrupts, "I was born in Manhattan but prefer to take my vacations on the west coast, that's so nice of you to ask!"

Izabella waits patiently, ignoring Tony and Bruce sighs answering her when Tony's done with his rambles;

"Ohio. I moved to New Mexico later for School."

"It look the same?"

He shrugs, taking a look out of the window before he chuckles, "No. Not at all."

"It nice?"

Natasha answers with a tired and scratchy voice, "Bruce would rather explore the world than stay in one place for too long, he gets twitchy."

Izabella sits back as if she's just made up her mind to do the same, "Me too."

Natasha is having an off day, a hand under her head while she debates if her nausea is calm enough to try eating the muffin on her plate. She pulls it apart, crumbling a piece between her fingers.

Bruce keeps looking through the book, skimming the next page of names with two fingers, "Found her! Dr. Elizabeth Ross...professor, look at that. She got the job-." He coughs, interrupting himself abruptly and watching Tony shaking his head running his fingers across his neck like he's slicing it. Natasha forces a grin and raises an eyebrow, if stares could kill... "I mean... She's not far, so. Let's get a move on."

Natasha stands first, rolling her tongue over her cheek and lifts one of the bags, Bruce offers to take it instead but she's being stubborn. He sighs while Tony lags behind, photographing the same grounded laser train and right next to him Izabella is crouching down to see its 'wheels'. Bruce pulls her back when a spark suddenly flies up, trying to protect their youngest member. Natasha leaves the group behind and climbs inside, smirking to see Izabella run to the closest window inside to watch the world go by when it starts running.

When they arrive at the huge laboratory, which Tony takes notes of, Natasha lays a hand over her gut as they disembark the train;

"I'm going to throw up."

"There's a trash can right there," Tony points, his eyes busy, still taking in the huge lab.

Bruce holds her loosely and rubs his thumbs on each of Natasha's shoulders when she barely makes it to the holographic style disposal. And the bright colors aren't exactly helping her headache.

The team gives Natasha a minute to catch her breath and Izzy addresses the bench, encouraging her mentor to sit for a minute. Romanoff refuses and shrugs Bruce off of her, "I'm fine. Don't touch me! Let's just go." Bruce holds his hands in front of him as if he had been burned and his frown deepens.

Tony is far too excited to notice anything else and plows ahead, looking like a child on Christmas morning.

It is when they finally get inside that both, Tony and Izabella light up, their eyes glowing and open mouthed, marveling over everything in their sight;

"Woah!"

Tony snorts, "Yeah!"

"Okay, here's how we're doing this...Izzy? Tony-don't touch that, stop-stop it," While Bruce is determined to try, (keyword is try) and set some ground rules, he's also trying to get Tony's attention when the engineer keeps wandering off. "Tony you are a grown adult, for god's sake, stop touching that-"

Natasha crosses her arms, eyebrow up again and aggressively biting at her cheek. Izabella steps beside her and struggles to keep her eyes on the doctor when there is so much to see and explore.

"I'll go in first, make sure she's in a good mood-." Tony raises his hand, Bruce shuts his eyes with a grunt, "What now, Mr-I'm-the-Boss-Today."

Tony continues before Bruce can answer, "Quick question; if she's in a good mood, we get to play here right? Cause you're not dragging me out of here until I at least get a tour."

Banner doesn't need to say it. His eyes closed while his fists tighten in a pulsating rhythm, "We're here for Nat. I'm here for Nat...yeah? So please, let's stop the distractions and please, please, let's do what we actually came here to do, after that? Do as you please for all I care." He snaps, sharply.

Natasha spots a stalking brunette coming out of a door and taps her Husband's shoulder before pointing as discreet as an Avenger/ex-KGB/ex-SHIELD Spy/Assassin can;

"Is that her?"

The woman in the lab coat moves closer, a tray full of vials in her hands that immediately goes crashing against the marble tile when Banner turns around to face her and she spots him at the same exact time. Tony'd have said out loud "Like fate" if Natasha wasn't standing right behind him where she could very well kick his pretty ass.

"Bruce…" Betty whispers, shocked.

Her eyes are huge, chest rising and falling at a rapid pace. She can hardly address the mess she's made, when the two make eye contact as if they were the only ones in the room. Bruce looks up with a swallow, a hand behind his neck.

"Hi, Elizabeth."

"What- I..." she stammers, wanting to move closer so she runs to swipe her card at the security gate and meet them at the door. She's smiling, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. The fiery look in Natasha's eyes isn't entirely what prevents Elizabeth from giving Bruce a hug. She huffs out a soft exhale, a foot in front of him;

"You look a lot less green than the last time we saw each other."

He laughs, cheeks reddening, "I can explain...it'll take a minute."

"It's okay,' she says, and bites her lip glancing, finally, towards the mob standing beside him before looking back at him again, 'I never thought I'd see you again."

He nods, accepting, unsure of how to interact, "Yeah, me neither-."

She looks one more time at the mob and waves her thumb to the right, "Do you... want to come inside? My office is way more comfortable than the lobby."

"That would be great, thanks"

"Great," she holds her smile, greeting Izabella with a nod, watching Tony walk in next and then Natasha…

Elizabeth smiles politely, even through an icy stare received by the Russian. Eager to hug Bruce with a light laugh;

"Tea? I have herbal. Two sugars?"

Bruce tucks his hands into his pockets, to avoid wriggling them nervously, "That sounds, amazing."

Natasha puckers her lips, a bit of red flaring up on her forehead and strong cheekbones when she addresses the broken vials, "Don't you have to clean that up?"

Elizabeth steps ahead to open the various doors, "Oh, no. I'll send the automatic mop out. Come in, what can I get everyone?"

"Coffee. Not instant, with two sugars," Natasha replies, almost snappily.

Izabella just wants to keep exploring with Tony, eager to circle Elizabeth's office that leads into a glowing private workspace and ignore the tense ambience in the room.

Stark shoots a few quick questions the second the door closes behind them, questions that Elizabeth is eager to answer with excitement in her voice as she closes the door behind them. She shares what she can of her projects, her latest creations and the advancements she's making with an injured bird she's rescued, she even named him Little Guy.

Natasha crosses her arms and lingers in the corner, trying her best to chime in every now and then while the rest of the four put on their 'Let's Science! Outfits' and nerd out with a million questions a minute, it gets old...quickly.

Bruce introduces Izabella first, focusing on her scholastic interests, genius status and lastly and more cautiously, her extraordinary abilities. Elizabeth has what seems like more than a few questions that Izzy is happy to answer, quickly won over by the sweet biologist, the two instantly getting along…

Natasha frowns, suddenly ready to throw up again. She looks up when Elizabeth appears in front of her and kindly extends a hand to introduce herself. Natasha takes her hand and shakes it once but gently, mentally kicking herself, "Natasha Romanoff."

Elizabeth nods and looks over to catch Bruce's vision,

"Oh, is this where your cover name came from?"

Bruce's face lights up, addressing Natasha with pride and affection, "My wife." And all Natasha wants to do now is go over to him and kiss him senseless, of course, she stands where she is, not moving just yet.

"Oh. Oh wow," Elizabeth turns back, looking somewhat crushed though not entirely surprised, as if she was expecting that already. A green alter ego definitely wasn't Banner's only secret, "You're beautiful." She adds, throwing Natasha off.

"Thanks," Natasha scoffs, confused. She doesn't feel beautiful. Elizabeth is prettier than she expected and seeing her in person feels way more threatening in the way she interacts with Bruce. So kind and soft spoken. Gentle and happy.

Conversation halts over the appearance of some warm drinks and Tony chugs his down, needing immediate answers for the table rises and falls with a hovering hand.

Elizabeth concedes, thrilled to be in the company of her old acquaintance and his friends. She sits on the edge of her chair;

"So, I guess my most obvious question is, what brought you back to my world?"

Bruce tugs his neck, "Well. Honestly? There's a problem I can't fix. And I could really use your help if you'd be willing."

"Oh?"

Izabella twists her jaw, looking up at Natasha. Tony pauses and taps the table, quiet all of a sudden.

"I'm dying," Natasha blurts out, not wanting to hear Bruce continue to beat around the bush. Izabella looks ready to cry and Elizabeth's eyes widen with nothing but concern. Natasha takes a deep breath, "Bruce trusts you more than anyone else in the universe. This or any other- for reasons I know he's told you. If you can't help, then I don't know where we would go from there. You're our last resort."

Elizabeth nods with a soft expression. She's too good for Natasha's liking which only adds to her distrust. Almost without thinking this Betty 2.0 is already seemingly agreeing to help, "Oh wow. I am so sorry-."

"I don't want your sympathy. I want this poison inside of me gone. If you can do that, great, if not, it was nice to meet you and we'll be on our way-"

"Wait, wait. I will do whatever I can- Anything for you, Bruce." She adds, looking back at him.

That almost makes Natasha's eyes roll and Tony muffle a laugh in his hand. Bruce is too grateful to care, finally feeling a sense of relief and a little tinge of hope through their remaining conversation.

. . . . . . . . . 

* * *

  
"Hey Brody! Homeboy! Hop on my shoulders I can throw you up there-," Lucy offers, already lifting the boy.

Brody squirms in initial protest just to go along with it, "Don't throw me too hard - wait! Lucy!"

He crash lands on the balcony, offering a thumbs up;

"I'm good! I'm good! I'm okay!"

The girl cringes, "Sorry!"

Riley pushes them along, handing a flag to Garrett that he couldn't seem to find without help, "Move it! Let's go, you idiots. We're falling behind."

Steve taps Clint's shoulder and points off in the distance to the dedicated foursome, "You know, Garrett reminds me of this young recruit we had back in the army-. He couldn't do much but he had the heart of an American-."

"Ten minutes!" Clint shouting cuts off Steve's rambling, eager to focus on how the kids handle their last run.

Lucy pauses while everyone continues to run for the south exit, "Hey guys?! Wouldn't it, like, make more sense to shoot first?"

Brody rolls his eyes, "Well yeah! Except for the fact that now that you've yelled it, they know our plan and can block us or steal our flag if they climb first! Only one person can go up on the ropes at a time."

Riley pushes backward, "Ignore them. The Cali brat is right and our last two are up there. So, shoot."

Lucy shoots their target on the right and Riley goes for the left, then makes her plan;

"Garrett and I will climb, you two wait under the balcony-."

Brody disagrees, "Lucy's the strongest one here! She can throw me if we need to so it should be us."

"Fine! Just hurry!"

"I can't throw that far," Lucy panics, ready to climb as fast as she can. Brody waits behind her with Amelia and Michael quickly catching up.

Riley looks over to see Violet coming in quick, "Well! Crap!"

Garrett looks to see her concern and Riley takes her opportunity to cheat. It doesn't feel good and potentially hurting her sister feels even worse. She swallows with a justification and tucks a hand in her pocket to slow Violet with a piece of tech she's snuck into the pocket of her shorts. It'll manipulate the landscape just enough, and with a quick breaching of Amelia's mind, Riley can pinpoint exactly where to use it.

Violet goes down with a slip, her hands stopping her fall, "Ow!"

Riley looks back the other way with genuine concern, "You okay, Vi?"

"Yeah, I think," the girl stands slowly, a little wobbly on her feet. The pause before she takes off again gives Brody a chance to make a run for it, Lucy, Garrett and Riley behind them to lead the blue team across to victory.

She feels dirty, a weird twisting in her gut while the rest of her team cheers for their accomplishments and over the fact that Lucy made it.

Clint calls for a winner and focuses on Riley and Lucy to share a few notes.

Amelia steps forward with a challenge when the rest of the team catches up, eyes narrow, "Really?! What was that?!"

"What was what?" she tries to stay calm.

Kat scoffs, "Really?! You thought we wouldn't see it?"

"You cheated!," Another accuses from a distance.

"I didn't cheat," Riley defends herself.

"Yes you did,' Amelia growls, ratting out her friend to Steve, 'She threw Violet off!"

"I didn't, you moron. Next time you want to accuse, bring some evidence. You're just mad Lucy gets to stay!"

Rogers signals for a timeout, "Okay! Let's talk about this-."

Garrett moves to defend, "There's nothing to talk about. Dad, I was with Riley the whole time. We won fair and square."

"Fair?! Ugh,' Kat is frustrated, 'What happened Violet?!"

The youngest girl stammers, not wanting to betray anyone, "I tripped and fell?"

"Yeah! And how often have you run across this courtyard and fallen?! Unless Mr. Stark changed the turf and didn't tell you about! Which it doesn't seem like he had the time to do, so maybe someone else did!"

Riley snaps, "Well, it wasn't me!"

Michael yells, "You guys are eyeing the wrong person here! Who else has access to tech? Who else is at the tower?! What's the missing factor here! Lucy! It's so obvious guys! She rigged it."

Lucy shakes her head with a laugh, "I know you guys hate me but I wouldn't-!"

"You would! Because you knew the stakes! It's so obvious Lucy, stop lying!"

"I'm not lying!"

"She is,' Kat points, 'She can't stand still- she's lying!"

Clint yells, trying to regain control, "Stop! Everybody stop it now!"

Michael steps forward, "Check her pockets!"

Garret snaps and pushes him back, "You're being a jerk!"

Barton reaches for his son, "Hey! Hands off!"

The boys press Lucy with more questions. She pivots, "Guys it wasn't- I didn't I swear!"

"She knows she's not skilled enough so she needed to cheat!"

"She hasn't been here long enough to even get how this works."

Lucy cringes, her head pounding. It feels like the world is against her. It's when Brody asks her if she cheated that she snaps, having someone she trusts starting to doubt her feels like the worst betrayal;

"No! I didn't! I wouldn't do that!"

"Empty your pockets. Everyone, now!" Clint is done.

Someone is behind Lucy when her eyes flicker, pushing her forward and it sounds like Michael. The push doesn't hurt and she hardly feels it. But the idea of having someone's hands on her after all of the accusations feels like a breaking point. Her eyes flicker a brighter yellow and she takes a swing to knock her attacker to the ground. She's in the red zone with a pummeling thrust of a fist to an elbow- the right then the left. Over and over.

Only when Riley screams does Lucy realize the Proctor girl has jumped in to protect Michael from the attack.

Clint and Steve are both trying to pull Lucy back, unable to move her, let alone get their voices heard until her eyes return to their normal yellow. She covers her mouth, gasping, in a trembling panic, switching from one emotion to another too fast to notice,

"Oh my god! Oh my god I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to hurt her! I-"

Riley huddles into a fetal position while the two adults try to check her, blood stains on the ground and on Lucy's hands.

Steve stands in between them, his back to Lucy, while Clint kneels down and tries to get Riley to turn over. The girl who has never yelled over a broken bone, survived some of the worst is screaming in pain. The kids stand frozen, hands on their mouths as they try to process what they've just seen.

Lucy is shaking, stepping back shakily, tears down her own cheeks, "It was an accident! I swear I didn't mean to hurt her, I didn't mean to! Brody- come on! I didn't!"

Brody takes a step back from her, a bit of fear in his eyes.

"Garrett! I didn't!"

"Go away, Lucy! Not now,' Clint's son panics with stress in his stare, regretting his snap but more worried about Riley, 'Not now."

"Frickin hell-! Move," Clint retorts as he lifts Riley in his arms and pushes his way out of the mob and straight to his truck to get her help.

When the Shield Agents move in to investigate, Steve tries his best to stay calm in dealing with them and their excessive supervision which has done absolutely nothing to help them stop the fight.

Rogers and the Jameson girl share a glance, trying his best to answer the Agents while he's dealing in his head with the million questions of his own for the girl, making a connection between Izabella's sketches and the glow in Lucy's stare he's just seen only moments ago. She suddenly feels like a loose cannon, a threat he needs to take action over and protect the rest of the center from…

But that anguish and fear in this child's eyes feels familiar. It's something he saw years ago at a German Facility after rescuing his best friend, Bucky Barnes.

The sense of duty to protect her suddenly outweighs ratting her out.


	16. The Cure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley struggles to bounce back to normal after the accident leaves her unable to return to normal. Elizabeth finds a cure for Natasha.

Steve is the first one to find Lucy. She's hiding in the lab, underneath the table, in his black hoodie and black jeans, tear stains soaking through the collar of her hoodie and on the knees of her jeans.

Rogers doesn't entirely know what to say, so instead, he chooses to just sit across from where she is and mirror her position.

Lucy brushes her sleeve over her eye with a breathless sniffle;

"I deserve whatever you decide to do to me,' she whispers, 'I didn't mean to hurt her! I didn't want to hurt anybody!"

Steve looks at her, his face unreadable, "Well. That's more than some people can say."

"What?," she peers out from underneath her long side bangs.

He shrugs, "That you didn't mean to."

"Is she okay? Is Riley going to be okay?"

Steve sighs, "I don't know. Do you know what happened? What made you...what's the word."

"Freak out?! I don't know! Maybe I'm just a freak. My genes are all freaks but they're awesome freaks. I'm just. Me."

"Well..."

"You don't know me! So just go! Just go away!"

Steve nods and then shakes his head, "I'm not going to do that. I'm in charge of you and the rest of the children-."

"Then go take care of them!"

"-I will. After assuring myself that you're okay."

"I'm not,' she breaks into tears, 'But Riley's not okay either, and it's because of me. I hurt her!"

Steve listens quietly, trying to offer a kind smile, "No one is perfect."

"I'm a monster," she manages in between sobs.

Rogers lowers his head, trying to think up something to say, "You know, you might have a little more in common with my teammate than you realize."

"What," she sniffles, confused and frustrated.

Steve looks back up with a kind grin, "Your relative, is one of the most brilliant minds on earth. An 'awesome freak' to use your words, right?" She waits. He continues, "Dr. Banner spent years on the run after he hurt someone. He called himself a monster because of an accident. Does that change your opinion of him?"

"No."

"Why not."

"Because, he's a hero. He's an Avenger."

"He wouldn't be a hero if he kept running and living in the past. He trained, he worked hard to understand to himself and he moved on. With his help, we won the battle of New York. And Hulk was considered a hero. One mistake doesn't define you. I could share a ton of stories honestly."

Lucy swallows hard, looking at her Uncle with a newfound respect. Being big and green doesn't seem like so big of a risk when your mom is on the news daily, can function just as well whether she's green or not and an overall representation of hope. Maybe her mom has a similar tale?

Still overwhelmed, she lets her head fall against the Captain's shoulder, which makes him panic slightly. Steve lets her cry herself dry on him until he can reach for a box of tissues, "Um...here. This will help."

Lucy takes the box with a nod, pulling out an excessive amount of tissues. Steve watches and fights the pull of a small smile, "Um...so…"

"So?" Lucy's red eyes look at him wearily.

"Should we call your mother or..."

"God, please, no! Please! I'm the ultimate disappointment already! I have no powers- well, except for hurting people. So my abilities are that I'm a murderer. I can't go home like this. And I can't go home until I know Riley is okay! Please! You're a trainer, so train me! Help me! Like you guys helped Uncle Bruce, you did it once so I bet you can do it again!"

"Lucy, I wish I could but I don't understand what it's like, we don't know yet what's going on with you. I can only promise you that when your uncle gets back, he is going to figure it out. I don't train-."

"You have to! You have to…please. Please, help me! I can't wait for them to get back- I could hurt somebody else."

"I don't think you will."

"I could!"

Steve takes a breath, "What if you talk with Mrs. Stark? Maybe Pepper would have some insight?"

They're interrupted by an incoming call from Clint when his phone starts to ring.

* * *

If Betty 2.0 gets anymore perfect Natasha might throw up again from that very fact. Her home is quaint, put together and elegant. A huge saltwater fish tank currently houses three blue angelfish, Corydoras and a handicapped Rainbow fish, of course, they are all rescue fish...somehow. Even the cat is a rescue; apparently even in a perfect world, humans still have the urge to give up their pets.

She's a fluffy, gorgeous, bright eyed, party colored Ragdoll that Natasha can't resist hissing at in order to make the cat go away and stop purring at her heels.

Bruce, on the other hand, seems to have some sort of recognition for the cat. There's an automatic connection and Romanoff does not want to know.

Ross' home is large enough to house all of them as long as Tony takes the couch. And judging by his interest in the tech provided in the living room, he's content to do so.

For Izabella, it is the furthest she's been away from home and her aunt. It is beginning to affect the tween so she chooses to keep close to Bruce and Natasha- even more so than usual. Daisy, the cat, seems to put her out of her shell little by little, making her sit on the ground and start a swatting game with her.

Elizabeth's brain is thinking about ordering pizzas for her unexpected guests, but another part of her's already etching a theory for Natasha's poison. The redhead notices her picking up a pen and writing down on a pad of papers, she picks up on the blood type square coded map on the page. It's something she's seen Bruce do a few times.

Bruce waits until she's off the phone to talk to her and offer, again, another 'thank you.' She waves her hand;

"Are you kidding? That Russian project opened up so many doors for me. Anything for you and Izabella. As long as, well, your greener side stays under control while you're here this time, I'm completely fine with having you stay."

It's a half joke that Bruce laughs over but Hulk clearly finds to be beyond offensive to the both of them. It's as if he kicks his shell of a body, a green tinge showing up behind Banner's neck and runs down his spine. Bruce feels it and squirms in frustration with his pestering alter-ego.

Izabella smiles proudly over having been recognized and Natasha is happy to hear it's not ALL about doing things for her husband. She wants to stand but sinks slowly into the kitchen chair behind her instead. Her legs are tired and she's dizzy, exhaling slowly with a pounding headache.

"Oh, please don't touch that," Elizabeth hurries into the living room to stop a device from lowering down.

Tony steps back with his hands up, "Sorry! Thought it was the tv!"

"Oh! No,' she laughs and waves her hand in front of the large mural, 'Here. There we go."

"Sweet!"

Bruce steps behind Natasha and rubs her shoulder, leaning over to whisper in her ear, "Are you okay?"

She lays her head on the table in an attempt to stop the throbbing in her skull, she turns her head slowly, cheek against the table and wide green eyes looking back up at him. She doesn't want to say 'no' but 'yes' is a lie and they aren't supposed to lie to each other either.

He kisses her head and steps back, kneeling down on the floor, waiting patiently and content to stay crouched at her eye level with a hand on her back for as long as she wants.

Elizabeth pulls out the chair across from the couple, "Okay! Bruce! So, based on previous blood tests, how does the one I just took on Natasha compare? Is it the same result?"

"Yeah…"

"So, there are some substances I'm picking up that aren't necessarily, um...normal? But it's not the same radiation- your type of radiation at least, the one that you mentioned. Her scan came back…a little off? Is there anything else I should know?"

Bruce continues to run his hand up and down Natasha's back, shootingly, and it puts Romanoff at ease, drifting with her eyes closing steadily while he continues to talk with Elizabeth. He tries to explain her Red Room childhood injections as minimally and with as much dignity as possible in order for Elizabeth to understand what is and isn't normal for the redhead he adores. The biologist has questions, abandoning her notepad to grab a full on holographic notebook to directly send the notes to her computer.

The scientist points with a whisper, her kind eyes addressing Natasha, "Does she want a pillow? I have pillows."

Bruce checks on his wife who is comfortably asleep, head pillowed on her arms, on the table. He laughs lightly, keeping his voice above a whisper,

"You know, I'm worried she might kill me if I wake her and then try to move her…"

The woman across from him huffs a closed mouth laugh, and goes on with her questions related to the spy.

* * *

Riley is alone in her room for the first time in 24 hours. Clint and Laura won't let her be by herself for more than a minute so it's a rare moment of peace.

If she can even call it peace…

Touching her cheek she can feel the stitches between her nose and cheekbone. Her lip hurts and there's a stitch there as well.

Bruce, once, told her that she possessed a small amount of enhanced healing properties that would help her recover quickly on her own in case of an accident where she got hurt. She's waiting.

Laura says her face looks much better than the last time she took a proper look on it, and her eye isn't as swollen, Garrett says she's pretty when she smiles. And Clint won't stop apologizing as though it's somehow his fault.

She tugs at her hair...she feels like a mess.

She keeps reliving that moment over and over again, the last thing she sees before her world goes black- before all color disappears, before her friends vanish are those gold tinged eyes coming at her with nothing but aggression.

If only she could see the damage herself. Her eyes are open, they feel open, only to reveal nothing. She's cried more than she ever has but the tears escape from nothing. There's no squinting, blurred vision or hindered senses. There is just nothingness. Spots of color on black...

Riley feels around her room for the window, feeling for the warmth in a bout of frustration. Her hand misses the knob for the window lock and she stumbles. Taking an inhale she screams at the top of her voice and turns to punch something, anything.

* * *

Elizabeth is pacing around her lab, same as Bruce, exploring a few potential theories. Izabella is enjoying their intellectual conversations and their awesome bad science puns, offering one of her own that merits a high five from both of them. She grins proudly over their laughter and shyly makes her own contribution to their theory.

Natasha is sitting at the table, rolling her ankle with a crack and a twist in her jaw as she toys lazily with a pocket knife in her lap.

Tony's dramatic entrance as he holds a new type of robot is met with glares and confusion;

"Guys! I found a new pet! The guy downstairs said I could have it!"

"You are such a child,' Natasha groans and thrusts her knife into the table, remembering too late that it's a hologram when her blade hits the ground, 'Ugh."

Elizabeth jumps over the blade, fanning herself to breathe. Izabella puts a hand on her arm;

"Not worry, Natasha do this all the time."

"All of the time? What do you mean-."

"Nothing! Everything's fine and no one got hurt. Anyways! Should we check how the prototypes are working? Maybe something shows up…" Bruce pivots physically and tries to remove the focus from Romanoff's threatening stares and the fact that she often carries around multiple weapons, sometimes hidden in places not even he isn't aware of.

"Yes! Let's. Come on, Izzy, follow Vrach," Natasha pulls her knife from the ground, hiding it fast, and moves to follow the couple, completely unaware of how bad it looks.

Elizabeth checks over her shoulder twice with fear in her eyes, baffled that Bruce and Izabella can carry on as per usual with a murderous spy stalking so closely behind with her weapon of choice.

When she asks Natasha for bloodwork a day later, Romanoff stares her down fully aware of the scientist's slight trembling. When both of them are left alone in the office, it makes it even better. Natasha smirks;

"Are you alright?" She asks.

Elizabeth forces a smile and takes a breath, removing the needle with closed eyes when she breathes, "I'm fine, It's fine…"

"Don't mess up."

The woman removes her needle just as quickly as she lifted it and nods,

"I'm trying not to."

Taking a breath, she lines it up one more time. Natasha can't help herself;

"If you keep it lined up there you'll miss the vein."

"So I was thinking,' Elizabeth lowers the needle, frowning, 'Let's just have Bruce do it when he gets back."

Natasha is a difficult patient but this is extreme. By day four, she's starting to feel bad about it when she realizes she's hindering her own progress to finding a cure. She just can't find a flaw in Elizabeth. It's begun to irk her and in a bad way.

It doesn't get easier when she pins something in Bruce's blood just like he knew she would. It's the first step she's already exploring and hopeful about but requires the two of them, Elizabeth and Bruce, to work together for most hours.

That same night at the house, Bruce, involuntarily, clearly triggered Elizabeth in some way. He ended up sort of questioning her intellect by interrupting her and offering his own two cents into the one project Betty needs him to trust her with- and Natasha all for it- watching the Doctor circle around him differently.

Romanoff waits at the staircase, half hoping for a knock down brawl only, for her big disappointment, the two of them ending up hugging...twice! And then talking too quietly for a proper eavesdrop. She peeks inside and what she sees makes her eyes twitch. His smile to the woman triggers her enough to dash upstairs and push the cat from off the bed in a sort of rage episode.

Daisy lands on her feet with a snarly meow, jumping up again to take Banner's pillow. Natasha groans and pulls the pillow out from under Daisy;

"Ugh-! Not you too! Go get your own man. I can only handle one zhadnyy suka in this house. Go!"

She holds the hug over Bruce's conscience just long enough until she realizes she's being petty about it, and he realizes he probably shouldn't have done it twice. Maybe one should've been enough. It all comes out amid a passionate conversation between the couple in Elizabeth's office.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth does a full circle around the lab and awkwardly chooses to sit by Tony while it all goes down. She'll give them a minute to work it out. Stark is wearing a new pair of sunglasses and decked out in this world's gear when he smiles;

"So! Is there a doppelgänger for me in this universe?"

The woman sips her coffee with a side eye, "Um...there, was. Actually…I read about him in the news a few years back."

"Was? What do you mean was?!"

"He um."

"What?!"

She looks down, "Can I get you a coffee or something?"

"A whiskey. My doppelgänger? You were saying?"

She cringes, "He um...He was in jail for fraud. Died last year from a drunk dare to chug rat poison- Can I get you a coffee?"

Tony looks beyond disappointed, ripping off his sunglasses to look her in the eye, "...Rat poison!? Come on Tony 2.0, we're supposed to be smart, damn you…"

When Elizabeth makes breakfast the next morning it's purely for Bruce, remembering he likes how she cooks. Natasha has her arms crossed when she stares him down so he spits the piece into his napkin so he won't upset her. They share a glare.

He's beyond fed up with her jealousy, at the same time finding a little payback with all that he's had to endure between Ivan and Alexei. She can be angry all she wants but her jealous rage will never actually compare to the fury he felt in dealing with her family. The couple don't need to communicate in order for there to be a silent exchange of thought- they've been married long enough for Bruce to make it clear when he doesn't give a damn. And she doesn't agree with it, needing to win this silent feud to get a bit of an edge after having the worst week healthwise.

He's tired, sighing when she stands up from the table in a huff and jumps when she 'accidentally' knocks over his glass. Tony is cringing.

Izabella is chewing as quietly as possible, playing with the advanced tablet Elizabeth has gifted to her.

Bruce clasps his hands when Elizabeth leaves the room for a moment and Tony needs to make his statement;

"This is painful to watch, bro. I thought I'd be amused but there's a tension thick enough to cut a knife into."

Bruce shuts his eyes and puts his hands on his head. "Uh huh."

"Your cheek is green."

"Hulk can't settle."

"Why not- well- never mind..I understand the guy," he sips his drink.

Bruce shakes his head, "Somehow he distrusts Betty- I mean, Elizabeth, almost as much as Natasha does."

"'Betty' huh?' Tony spots the mixup, 'It would help Nat if you wouldn't do that again, so don't call her Betty. For all our sakes?! You gotta separate them, bro...Hulk's fussy- Is there a story there? Maybe...something that led to the divorce? I'm just sayin'."

Izabella's eyes widen as she sips her own drink, ready for all the gossip.

"...Irrelevant. I'm ‘separating’ them- two different Bettys- Elizabeths- Dr. Ross-Rosses-Roses-."

"Mmkay. So do I finally get the details?! On the epic breakup of the century?!"

"It's irrelevant," Banner repeats and lets his head fall onto the table. Only a few more steps closer to a cure. He's completely stressed out and in no mood to rehash the past, again.

* * *

Riley lifts her head after a week of quietly sulking, Laura's beside her when she enters in the common space in the morning. The kids are all quiet upon seeing their friend enter. She hates the attention and even though she can't see their reactions she can feel every single one of their emotions in her head. It's overwhelming and humiliating. Maybe this is how Natasha feels since she got sick- weak and helpless.

She sighs and take a seat with a bit of help from Laura, her hair falls over her face when she manages a quip;

"Just because I can't see you, doesn't mean I can't feel you! So, Brock? Take your empathy and shove it. And Violet?"

Her young friend steps closer- Riley can hear it, "Yeah?"

Riley takes a moment to breathe and then smirks, "I missed you, too."

Violet squeals happily and wraps her arms around Proctor's neck before she can protest, squeezing her tight.

Lucy eats her meal alone at the furthest table, head down as she pokes at her food with a fork. Seeing Riley that way is triggering, so she swallows hard and keeps her head down. Apologizing feels like the thing to do but confronting someone she's hurt so badly doesn't feel good at all, and even less with everyone right there.

She rejects her food with a push, grabs her bow from the chair next to her and storms off the room and to the courtyard to release her rage some other way which will not end with someone else hurt.

She doesn't sing, she doesn't talk…

Strangely, Pepper has been kind enough to provide some company for her while Antonia is back at the tower with Happy.

Maybe it's from all of the late night hulk conversations between Tony and herself, how close they've gotten to Bruce. Pepper feels like Lucy is just another part of the family. While the specifics of her hulk knowledge might not be as extensive as Tony, she can contribute enough in the interim and perhaps more importantly, knows exactly how to take down a hulk in an emergency. While Clint and Steve also possessed that knowledge, Pepper has picked up a few more gentler tricks from Natasha that would avoid an arrow or a shield to the head of the teenager.

She watches when Lucy dismisses a call from Jennifer, "You still haven't told your mom, have you?"

"No,' Lucy pulls on her bangs, distractedly, 'I can't."

"She's tried my phone as well, you know?"

"Did you answer?!"

"Yes,' Pepper picks her nail, 'I said you needed space to do some deep soul searching, which I sincerely believe you need."

Lucy scoffs, "I don't have a soul. Maybe I am an emotional green monster, just without the green. Not like my mom or Uncle Bruce. I don't even know first aid..."

"That's not true sweetheart. You are a kid, you have so much to learn but you are already so kind and so much fun to be around. You make us laugh-."

"Oh please. Everyone laughs at me, Mrs. Stark. And they all think I'm too stupid to notice but I do. I hear them talk..."

"Aww, Lucy,' Pepper smiles, remaining soft and gentle, she wraps an arm around the girl's shoulder. 'Why don't you come back with Anna and I to the tower tonight? Get out of here for a night and recharge. I trust you. And if you'd be more comfortable sleeping at the tower, your Uncle's apartment is completely hulk proof. What do you think?"

Lucy thinks for a moment, her hand hugging her shoulder. She bites at her lip;

"I don't- want to hurt you or Anna. I haven't had a blow up here."

Pepper nods with a smile, "Do you want to maybe, think about it? The offer stands Sweety, my door is open to you. Whether that's tonight or tomorrow night…We love you. And Steve thinks it would be a great idea. Will you think about it?"

"I'll think about it."

"Can I give you a hug?"

Pepper is so nice. A hug is exactly what Lucy wants, while fiercely missing her mother and wishing she could go back in time for once in her life.

* * *

Natasha looks up from her book when Bruce and Elizabeth walk back into the office, giddy;

"We have an idea!"

Tony slides across the table, stopping in front of them, wide-eyed, "And?"

Elizabeth starts, touching Banner's shoulder, "There is so much potential in his blood to make a cure! We just have to find the right balance so as not to create another one of his green friends, with the right components and stability we will be able to cure you!" She rambles excitedly to Natasha. "You were right to come to me because this is exactly what I know I can do."

"She's a genius," Bruce comments, eager to test their hypothesis while Natasha stares them down.

Elizabeth ignores and continues, "The problem is, we also need to know that this fraction of a fraction won't clash with the serum already in her veins, right?"

Tony is still waiting for the moment of brilliance, overall unimpressed with the immediate conversation, "And? Spit it out, come on."

"Well,' Bruce starts and hands the floor back to her, '...you tell them Elizabeth, it was your call."

"You have someone who contains Banner's exact blood type, a fraction of his DNA as well as your Black Widow serum,' She smiles and addresses Izabella, 'You're the cure. It's in your blood."

"Me?," Izabella points to herself, confused.

The biologist pulls up a chair, "I can analyze Bruce and extract his blood to manipulate it into something but you already have what we need. Your body has already regulated it and can heal itself by finding a balance, it regenerates. If we can, with your permission, of course, take samples of your blood and make the right modifications so that Natasha's body doesn't fight it, I think we can save Natasha much quicker than if I have to start from scratch with Bruce's blood."

Izabella nods, a wide smile on her face, "I do it! Of course I do it."

"God, I love you!,' Bruce wraps his arms around Izabella's shoulders to give her a hug.

"Love you too?," She chuckles and hugs his arms in reply. He separates so he can move on and hug Natasha next.

Natasha settles with his arm around her and a kiss to her cheek. She's grinning over their makeshift family, reaching to take Izabella's hand and squeeze it while Tony whines about not getting enough hugs from Bruce. Elizabeth stands aside and starts to outline her plan.

For the first time in days, Natasha listens and gives the woman some attention. When Elizabeth's finished, Romanoff does her usual affirmative nod, watching Izabella jump up as if she's ready to get started and makes uncomfortable eye contact with Elizabeth. It's almost like pulling teeth but Natasha is truly proud of herself when she finally says 'Thank you' to the cellular biologist. Elizabeth is quick to wipe the shock from her face, the two sharing a glance and half an understanding;

"You're welcome."


	17. The Tragedy

When she finally finds Riley, alone, Lucy takes a breath and walks up to the girl with bruised eyelids and cloudy pupils. Riley is sitting on a bench in the hallway of the center, stray hairs in front of her face that would easily trigger her. Lucile Jameson sits next to her, almost in a hurry, still fully believing Riley can read her mind even when she talks too fast;

"I know you know what I'm about to say because of your cool super powers and you probably don't want to hear it, and less from me. But I am so so so sorry. I never ever meant to hurt anybody... I just snapped. I snapped Riley. I know it's not an excuse, but I wasn't trying to hurt you and I wasn't trying to make you go blind I swear. You don't have to forgive me and like. It's impossible to forgive that, I know..just..,' Lucy swallows her tears, ready to explode, 'I can't like! Move on or like, live with myself without knowing you're okay, so..are you okay?"

"I'm blind,' Riley takes a deep breath and finally musters a response, 'I can't see."

"And you hate me, you absolutely hate me!"

It's annoying for Riley to need to hear instead of feel through Lucy's incessant self loathing, blaming herself for something that was ultimately her own mistake. But punching Riley to the point of both retinas, snapping, as she said, is still a bit excessive no matter if she meant it or not. So Riley decides to keep her response vague, long dark black strands moving with the slight cool breeze in front of her face;

"I'm never going to see the way I could before. And playing my guitar will be basically impossible, unless I take a lot of extra training since I can still hear, and I'm mad. But if you think I hate you then you don't know me at all."

"You don't?" Lucy questions and looks up to her hopefully, mentally chastising herself when she realizes the other girl can't see her.

Riley reaches with her hands to pull her knees in closer to herself.

She tilts her head back slowly until it hits the wall, "I don't hate anybody."

"I'm sorry," Lucy doesn't know what to say, looking back down and swinging her feet nervously on the bench.

Riley tugs her thumb with her opposite thumb, still unable to breach Lucy's mind and judge her feelings properly. The Jameson girl stays silent, surprisingly, while Riley mumbles the confession she's yet to tell a soul;

"I lifted the turf. I made Vi trip so that you would stick around…"

Lucy looks shocked, leaning forward with her eyes wide, "Why?! Why would you cheat for me?!"

She shrugs. Closing her eyes feels pointless but she does so regardless in an almost involuntary action. "Garrett likes you,' she finally confesses, 'Izzy trusts you...and Vi was going to win."

Lucy sinks into the bench, her shoulders slumping forward, "Why? Why would you do that?! When I turned around- I thought you were Michael, he kept poking and when he pushed me-."

"He punched you, actually. Really hard and everyone heard it. So that's why I jumped in between. I thought he hurt you," Riley clarifies with her head fixated forward.

Seeing that the girl with 'no emotion' has a ton, defending her teammate with a full confession leaves Lucy feeling even worse. She is trying to process- as much as she can for her age. Riley is tough and let's no one in. Someone content to keep all emotion and feeling to herself is opening up a little.

Lucy sniffles a shaky inhale, "I'm so sorry I couldn't stop."

Riley tucks her chin, a strain in her temple she feels the need to address with both of her pointer fingers, one for each, "It still hurts."

"I'm so sorry, Riley. I didn't mean to."

"I don't- I can't- forgive you, but I know that like- you know."

Lucy nods, gnawing at her lip while the emotional girl lets the tears flow down her cheek, "I think I know? Can I give you a hug?"

"No? I'd rather you didn't touch me. I just keep seeing your eyes...they're scary and all but I don't really want you to hate yourself either."

Lucy looks down at her untied sneaker laces, vision blurry from her tears.

* * *

  
Bruce is pacing Elizabeth's lab, suddenly stops and lifts a green vial he can't help but recognize in her display section. The contents are something they created together the last time he was there- a Russian newspaper clipping containing a photo of the Hulk and the Abomination underneath as if to prove it.

"What happened to, what was his name, Lebedov? Lebedev?"

Elizabeth laughs lightly, glasses on her face while she runs a sample of Izabella's blood, "He is now a world renowned conservationist living in Botswana. Apparently dating me for a year scared him out of his own field." Bruce lifts an eyebrow. She cringes with a dip in her knee, "Turns out I don't share my space well."

"No kidding."

She catches his eyes skimming over the page with her eyes lingering on the Abomination for a small second, "They buried your friend in Moscow. I can't promise his body was left untouched." What was left of it…she doesn't need to finish the statement.

Bruce is suddenly nauseous over a distant memory of holding a dying Betty , a memory that the instant it comes, he pushes aside. He puts the vial back to its place and addresses her current project to move on from the topic of Blonsky, "Do you need help with that?"

"Yes. Can you reset the levels on my screen?"

Banner nods and gets to work, tapping away at his numbers. The woman pivots;

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Yes."

"Do you constantly feel your other ...half, trying to break free...of sorts?"

Bruce lifts a shoulder, fully aware of the fact that she's seen a flash of green on his neck. He rubs at it, "It's more of like a defense mechanism. Nowadays he only cares if he's in danger. Some people grab a frying pan, I turn big and green"

"Or if, you are…"

"Well- yeah."

"Are you?"

"No. Not now. Tense maybe. And stressed out over Tasha, but that's mostly always." He's kind of joking by the end of the sentence, both share a small laugh.

"Understandable."

"He needs to chill out. Tony made him a room to do yoga."

She grins, trying to understand better while she fiddles with her compound, "He's more active inside of you than the last time we met...I don't think he's anything to be ashamed of Doc. He's not inherently something evil. He's just a kid.."

Bruce shivers over a twinge of green down his arm when the scientists pass each other, accidentally dropping a small glass bowl she's requested and he was carrying on his hands. He groans with a sigh, letting his head drop, a roar in the back of his brain everytime she approaches him.

"Sorry," he manages to say.

She smiles and crouches down to help him pick up the glass, "It's okay. I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"It's not your fault."

Banner looks rattled but he manages a small grin, trying to figure out how to make his alter ego calm down for a bit after cleaning the mess. It gets worse when she's close. She stands, with empathy in her stare;

"You've been dealt a rough hand."

He scoffs, "I can make it work. It's not all bad."

"I admire that about you," She sighs, forcing her eyes to move from the wedding band Tony made for the Banners couple after Russia. Hulk-proof, mission proof as promised.

Elizabeth, then, huffs a laugh when all of a sudden, he slaps at his neck with gritted teeth. Presumably for the alter-ego. She finally mumbles, "He must not like me very much."

Bruce checks his palm and moves back for his own screen to check on the sample of Natasha's blood, "He liked Betty just fine. But I guess you're not Betty-err you're not in actual danger. He won't flip out,' hulk growls in reply, clearly not getting his point across, 'Maybe he's still mad about Russia for some reason...ow! GOD! Stop it!"

Elizabeth jumps over his twitch. Bruce forces a laugh and lifts his hands to gesture at his head, "Not you. Him." He says to Elizabeth.

"Oh? Can he hear you?"

"Yep! Big green asshole."

She cringes, "Maybe if you were a little nicer to him…? Have you ever tried acupuncture?"

Bruce gives her a look that says 'don't even start'. They've had a million 'fix it' conversations before, usually ending in a quick spat- how she's always butting in, how he doesn't want to listen- of course, this Elizabeth doesn't know that…

Elizabeth just shifts her focus to watch as Natasha enters the room.

Romanoff doesn't need to talk, taking in the scene. She knows him well enough to immediately pick up on his agitation and releases her own laugh. For some reason Hulk is displeased with Betty 2.0 and has been since they've arrived. Natasha is in no rush to stop it. To make everything more interesting, she could, maybe, provoke him further and easily destroy the multi-million dollar lab- but that might be too mean, even from her.

She takes a seat at the table and tucks a hand under her chin with a smile;

"Hi, Vrach."

He smiles back, almost sarcastically, reading her eyes, "Hi, Tasha."

His greener half settles over her presence almost immediately. Bruce takes a shaky breath and moves back to work. Elizabeth shares a glance between the couple, impressed how the redhead can calm him with a simple "hi".

"Hey Liz! Look at what the kid did,' her coworker enters giddy with Izabella, 'She fixed my hypothesis for the presentation!"

Elizabeth takes it, aware of how long it's taken to outline the first, "Oh wow."

"I know! The whole last part was her idea. I told her she could get a full scholarship to Lynx, writing her own."

"Honestly."

Izabella looks so proud of herself, and her mentor's look was equally impressed.

"She would be a great biologist."

Elizabeth smiles, "Is that what you would like to be?"

Izabella nods without a second thought and lists on her fingers, "Maybe. It help people, it is science in my interest, and...yeah. It helpful. But, my Tetya. She prefer nursing for me."

Elizabeth seems to understand, relating to the young girl, "My aunt wanted me to become a lawyer because she didn't think I could find a job in my field of interest. But, both of my parents are very proud of me now. And my aunt has come around on the idea. Ultimately you have to follow your heart."

Natasha looks around the room, doing a mental headcount, "Where's Tony?"

Bruce shrugs, "I thought he was with you."

"No?"

Elizabeth waits until her friend leaves and then leads Izabella toward the screen, eager to show the girl how she's using her blood to create Natasha's cure. The sample seems to take hold of the compound immediately, the cells are working together fast and the results are nothing but positive. After watching the progress it's doing, Elizabeth and the young girl do a little happy dance. Bruce sees them and smiles proudly though uninterested in celebrating just yet. He moves to borrow Elizabeth's ID to better navigate the facility and search for Stark;

"Mind if I-?"

She waves, "Oh go for it."

"Thanks."

The door opens and Tony Stark enters after Bruce, as if he hadn't been gone god knows where, he smiles back, his mouth full and carrying with him a bucket of potato wedges, "Have you guys tried these yet?! They're amazing."

Natasha covers her eyes with her hands and gags in her mouth. Bruce points and hangs the ID back up on the wall, "Found him."

Izabella claps her hands, "Mr. Stark! We find the cure!"

Elizabeth has a hand on her hip, "One dose of this and we jumpstart her incredible immune system! Voila, problem solved, the new cells will fight the old radiated ones, and no, it won't work with the Hulk, Bruce. I'm sorry."

Before Bruce can say anything else, he needs answers, hands shoved deep into his pockets to avoid wringing them, "I don't mind Hulk, we've come to a nice compromise. Will it last, though, for Natasha?"

"Of course," Elizabeth tries to kindly reassure. She can't finish her statement without him asking another question;

"Am I a threat to her? Am I the one causing this to her? Hurting her?"

The biologist hugs her arms around herself tightly, "With this, she'll be able to, hopefully, be immune to so much more. You won't be a threat, not anymore, I promise."

"So I was-..."

"Vrach," Natasha sighs.

"It's not unrealistic. Radiation makes up a good fraction of who you are. It's in your blood, skin. Humans let out heat out of their bodies, spit when they talk, cry salty water. If you have radiation in your blood, it's possible that some of it might leak from you, somehow-that doesn't mean you're dangerous! Microwaves, kitchens, laptops, phones, they leak some kind of radiation as well and no one has died yet, that I know of...' she shakes her head, 'You are a special case, though. I've never seen anything like it."

Natasha chimes in and stands to circle around him, "It doesn't matter now, Vrach. We're okay. We're going to be okay."

He nods and hugs her close.

Tony chews slowly, "So, Nat won't die? Lovely. Great! Actually-! Soundproofing your apartment might be a worthwhile investment-Don't look at me like that-! You know what I'm talking about!," A knife flies by and just misses his head, a small black widow symbol etched in the corner of the handle. Tony coughs, "Excuse you! I mean yay, another 60-something years with Red. How old are you anyways?! I'm not rushing you to the grave! Let's get that straight-Don't you dare shoot me or I'll shoot back! Bruce do something!"

Natasha pivots with a large eye roll to address Elizabeth, "Do you, by any chance, need another engineer around here?"

"He's very good. We'll donate him to your company for free," Bruce retorts.

"I'll pay you to keep him." Natasha insists.

Elizabeth chuckles, playing along, "Um, no, thanks for the offer, thought, but I think we're good in that department."

Tony grumbles, "Good luck trying to pawn me off you two. I thought we were friends! Bunch of backstabbing traitors- I'll adopt you Izzy, you don't need them for mentors, plus I'm rich, I can buy you a pony!"

Elizabeth addresses Izabella with a wink, "Now, Izzy here on the other hand, could have a very bright future in this universe."

The young girl laughs and clasps her hands with a pause. She looks toward Bruce and Natasha and back at Elizabeth, "Maybe one day. My family is there, with Vrach and Natasha. And my Tetya Svetlana. My friends. My brother."

"You're such a sweetheart. I know they're proud of you,' the biologist smiles, 'Well. Shall we load up our syringe? Patch up Miss Natasha and prepare to send you home?"

"Yes, let's do this," Bruce leaps forward, eager to help.

If Natasha wasn't so stubborn she'd shed a tear right where she stands, proud of Mikhailov and fortunate to have a family who loves her unconditionally. And Betty isn't too terrible either... She'd like her more, if she'd stop being so obviously thirsty for her husband. Natasha groans, more so now over Bruce being completely oblivious to it.

The redhead stands beside Bruce to rest her elbow on his shoulder, grinning when Elizabeth quickly averts her eyes from them both and blushes a vibrant red.

It's a game now. Elizabeth now knows that Natasha knows, and she's embarrassed to say the least. Natasha waits for her next move, a subtle side eye for the biologist when they share an awkward smile with each other.

* * *

  
The doors open with a bang, the walls practically shaking when a swarm of SHIELD soldiers invade and freeze at the entrance to the center. A woman leads them through with a cold retort directed at Steve Rogers who stops abruptly sketching on the staircase to look at the intruders;

"SHIELD is here to collect the child metas. Hand them over now and we avoid conflict."

Steve drops his pad and tries to open a discussion with the primary woman in charge, "Who made this order, what is it for?"

"The meta recruits belong to SHIELD now, they are required to report at headquarters immediately."

"No one notified us about the transfer-."

Barton arrives, completely suspicious over hearing the request;

"They're not going anywhere. Neither Steve nor I don't really run this place, Chic. And unfortunately the Mister and Misses are out for the evening so you'll have to come back later-."

"Are you not Clint Barton?"

"Who's asking?"

"You hold enough responsibility to be able to identify and hand over the metas without further provocation-."

"If you're my new boss, I quit, therefore, no ordering around here, lady."

"It is your duty to comply with the protocol, Agent Barton, as per the orders of the late Director Nick Fury as decided upon your hire-."

"What do you mean late Director?" Steve questions.

"I am your new Director, Captain and I've given you an order. Agent Fury retired two months ago."

"Two months ago? Who was notified?" Steve questions his frown deepening.

Clint has had enough, eyeing a quiet Maria Hill, "And YOU couldn't call us?!"

"I tried, Agent Romanoff wasn't picking up," It's a lame excuse that doesn't pass Clint's radar, he rolls his eyes and scoffs.

Or Steve's. He narrows his focus and makes a subtle move to usher any lingering children upstairs while he reaches for his shield hidden behind a tall vase.

"You won't be getting anything from us." Steve takes his stance, making his decision loud and clear while Clint moves for his bow and gives Garrett an emergency signal.

The boy hurries up the stairs and inches before he can reach the alarm, the woman in charge makes a call for a malicia to swarm the facility. Maria aims her weapon and takes a shot for Clint, slicing his bicep.

"Dad!" Garrett screams and Lucy quickly reaches to pull him from the stairs and drag him inside of Riley's room, where the rest of them are hiding.

"Are you crazy?! They got my dad! I'm gonna kill them!"

Lucy locks the door and stands in front of the boy. "He's fine, trust me! I saw him fire like, two arrows in response- GARRETT! You can't help him if you get shot too!"

"She still shot him! Agent Hill shot my dad!"

"Good thing he's left handed..."

The boy sighs, pained to know that she's right. Amelia whistles from outside the window, the rest of the kids quickly follow, climbing down and toward the courtyard, straight for their emergency bunker.

Natasha is never unprepared, Bruce has installed enough security measures in their bunker to survive a nuclear bombing, after all, one Hulk is enough for a lifetime and there's already two...

Alex is barking at the door, his tail down and currently being soothed by Riley who feels for his head. Lucy is too ambitious for her own good, looking over her shoulder once they lock themselves inside, "Guys, we have to come up with a plan to help."

Galina snickers nervously without a smile, "I'm not moving."

Michael narrows his focus, "And do what Lucy?! Call my backup ghost friends?! Yeah! Give me a minute!"

Violet is shaking in the corner, screaming and crying. Brock shakes his head, refusing to participate and Brody looks defeated, "We can't Lucy. We're just kids."

Lucy growls and looks at Garrett, "Come on…"

He sighs, "I mean. I know Aunt Nat's code to get her emergency pistol but I don't think- I mean I can't-."

She looks at Riley and it's almost like the girl can feel it, on her hands and knees to feel the vibration of the bullets and chaos when she whispers simply, "No. I'm blind and useless!"

"You're not useless-!" Garrett snaps and Riley bites back;

"I read minds, I don't change them!"

Violet screams loud and covers her ears over the firing.

Lucy pants hard, her chest collapsing when she realizes she's the only one even considering fighting back, "Guys, I can't do this by myself."

Amelia points with wide eyes, "You wanna fight them?! We can't! They're the top SHIELD agents!"

Brody snaps, ripping his glasses off and holds his head, "They want my sister! They're here for my sister and I can't do anything…she's not even here!"

"They wanted all of us! All of you! This isn't about Izzy, this is bigger you guys. You're not safe just hiding down here. And Cap is great but he's... Cap. And he doesn't have his suit! Clint is going to run out of arrows and fast," Lucy shuts her eyes and takes a breath.

"I sent out the alarm," Garrett offers.

Amelia shakes her head, "Thor is NEVER going to get here on time!"

"Even if they get here, we're down a Hulk," Kat grumbles fearfully.

"And an assassin," Violet trembles.

Lucy takes control of the group that are far too desperate for answers to argue with her, "Guys, shush- guys stop! I have an idea…but I need you to trust me!"

Amelia nods. Her eyes wide and desperate for answers. Kat is equally desperate, Brock steps up, "What do you need Lucy? We can make you really angry-."

"I'm not going out there alone,' she jumps over another shot overheard from upstairs, 'Look! This is your home. So. So- ugh! Breathing- I'm breathing- I need everybody and I need everybody to be willing to break a few rules here or else like! Guys! Or else! Like-! We're screwed! We've been training for this right?! Training for something big like….guys I'm scared. Okay?! I'm so scared that I can't even make a Broadway comparison- Happy now?! I'm scared! But I'm not gonna let them just come in here and take over. They can't wreck your home, but I can't take those freaks down alone! They think we're a bunch of incompetent kids! That's it! Right?!"

"Or weapons…" Someone calls out.

Lucy snaps, "Are you?! Do they own you too?! Along with half the spy world- I knew my mom distrusted them for a reason...I need you guys to back me up here! Or else, Clint and Cap are toast...so I-I really need some unity for an hour here you guys, you can kill me after I promise! So...so-so, Garrett? Like...break open the tech. And Aunt Nat's emergency pistol."

"Am I really doing this…?! This feels wrong…and she's gonna kill me…" he takes a breath and hovers over the lockbox.

"Violet? I need you to run as fast as you can and take down the agents by targeting the back of their knees. Make them fall."

She nods, scared out of her mind.

"Riley."

The girl swallows hard and sits back on her heels, "Yeah I know, stay out of the way."

"Are you kidding?!,' Lucy would laugh if she wasn't terrified, 'No! I need the best mind reader on the planet right now! We need to know their every move before they make it. Keep Alex by you and you'll be fine, he's been in battle before, he knows the drill! Right boy?" He whines, instinctively fixating on Riley and panting with his tail still down. "Iris?"

"Clint wants us to stay put. I'm staying put," Iris protests.

"Clint can't make calls for us. He needs us. It's all of us or it's nothing, and we can't do nothing," Brody calls out.

"What do you do, Jelena?," Lucy questions and the girl looks like she's never heard a question before in her life when she mumbles in reply;

"I shake things?"

"What do you mean- like an earthquake?" The other girl nods. Lucy picks at her bow, thumb against the wood, "Well make one happen. I want an 8.0 on this sucker! Vadim and Molly?! Cover me. And Garrett?!"

"Yeah?," he looks terrified.

Lucy can't help but finally break a smirk, "Don't shoot us? Don't shoot anyone unless we have to but especially not us."

He nods, handing the gun to Brody, "Here, I trust you more with this."

Brody widens his eyes, "Right! Cause blazing people through with my eyes won't be enough. Keep it. I trust you."

The kids finalize their plans, a cautious Riley determined to kick the invaders from her turf and stay behind Garrett and Lucy.

Lucy touched the handle, ready to unlock it and takes a breath;

"Ready?"

Brody rubs his heel into the ground, "Retaliators? Assemble!"

Kat drops her stance, "Oh, ew."

"I'm fine with you taking the lead here but we need a better name than that bro," Garrett mumbles.

Brody growls, "I'll think about it and get back to you, okay?! Let's just go kick some butt, Defenders!"

"No."

"Open the door, Lucy!"

She cringes and looks away, tugging the door open when she mumbles nervously back to her Broadway comforts;

"Rise up, rise up, I'm rising up. I got this."

* * *

  
“Seriously, I can't thank you enough. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask- if we can find a way to I guess," Bruce is lingering, delaying the goodbye far longer than it needs to be, in Natasha's mind.

They are reunited at the parking lot, the nearest empy big space, ready for time/space travel. Elizabeth smiles kindly at them, "Well. I still have that transportation vial. If I ever run into an emergency I'll be sure to...call? I guess?"

Izabella smiles and hugs the biologist, "Thank you, spasibo."

"Oh, you're so welcome, sweetheart. It was so great to meet you. Bylo priyatno poznakomit'sya s toboy."

Natasha's much brighter and vibrant eyes light up over a possibility, finally realizing now that Elizabeth speaks enough Russian to get by. So she holds a smile as if she's full of evil ideas and hugs the woman with a friendly 'thank you'.

Elizabeth opens her arms for a hug;

"You are welcome anytime."

Natasha's kind voice quickly turns threatening when she whispers in Elizabeth's ear;

"Hmm...ty ne soskol'znul s kryuchka- prodolzhay smotret' na zadnitsu moyego muzha, i ya ub'yu tebya. You understand?"

Elizabeth nods in pure fear with a blush, "Totally. Most of it-I mean. Yeah. Completely understood. Understood-! A-a-a-and respected! Agent Romanoff."

When Bruce moves in for a final hug she's completely awkward about it, afraid to touch him with Natasha's smug eyes fixated on hers.

Tony lifts his bag, somehow larger now with all the tech he's purchased and trying to bring back with him, "Can we go home now? I'm so ready to see my wife and baby girl!"

Izabella smiles, watching her team line up and Elizabeth waving intermittently with friendly 'goodbyes'.

"She's nice,' Tony confesses as the green mist covers them gradually, 'Alright Izzy, no detours to any of Banner's side chicks this time, please. Straight to the center's courtyard."

Izabella shakes her head and extends her hands, straining further to focus on their one way trip.

When they land, it's in dust and debris, shots firing continuously. The group look startled, seeing their courtyard in flames.

Natasha turns wide eyed, Bruce growls to hear the children screaming. Tony taps his wrist, ready for battle, "Uh...is this the right dimension Izzy?"

The girl points to her telltale signs, startled over the sight, "This is…"

"Okay. So much for a vacation…!"

* * *

When the kids finally break from their cover Steve and Clint are both stunned when SHIELD pauses in their attack. The kids are positioned well enough, divided in the most logical way possible and completely ready to wreck shop as best they can.

Lucy has her arrow aimed at Rogers' potential attacker thanks to Riley's intuition telling her that he is in the most immediate trouble.

Clint takes the opportunity the kids give him to call for backup, realizing the two Avengers can't handle this battle alone when more agents show up.

The kids do what they can, leaving enough damage to distract. By the time Pepper arrives in her own suit, Brock and Amelia are hurt. Jelena is down and Kat is defending the three of them alone which ends in her bow breaking in half.

Steve defends Violet until Riley pokes Brody to go and help them. With Brody's distracting laser vision Lucy has a chance to scoop in with Riley and remove Violet from the situation. She heads for the lab to lock her friends inside, taking on their incoming attacker head on. She's taken too long to lock the door so Riley feels for Violet and protects her sister with her body hunched over Violet's.

Lucy covers her eyes with her forearms and a squeal over the incoming swing, trying not to set herself off and calm her fear. Her bow is snapped in half instead and the neck of her shirt pulled forward to confront the taller man. She cringes, trying hard not to cry or feel any emotion even though Riley calls for her to run all too late.

The woman in charge steps forward for a name, "You're new. Who are you."

Lucy is scared, her heart pounding but she manages to speak, "Wait, wait!" Lucy is shocked when he listens, trembling and ready to throw up or cry- maybe both when she swallows, "Stop. I'll go with you. I know you want the kids but you can take me instead. I...have...something you want!"

The woman laughs, "And what is that? Are you the meta? What is your name?"

"I'm a meta. I have hulk DNA and...I have the super serum,' she makes it up as she goes, 'I'm numb to vibranium. I- go green and get super tall- I'm an awesome shot- I have everything you could possibly want. So-."

"Lucy stop! Don't do that!" Riley yells, fully aware of what's happening while Violet looks on in Riley's arms.

"Lucy?," the woman questions, ordering her minion to drop her.

Lucy falls over her knees with a cough, "Izabella isn't here, she's gone. I'm the second best because...you can use my blood the same as hers...I swear. Just leave my family alone. Leave Steve alone. And Clint. And Riley. And Brody...You have to leave them alone, and-and I'll go with you. I won't hulk out, I won't fight you, I'll just...go. Okay?"

The woman growls, "Who are you, Lucy?"

"Lucile...Banner. I'm the closest you'll get to hulk blood I swear," she confesses with a harder swallow, wondering if her heart will explode from the stress and the pounding in the back of her head.

"Banner…"

Riley has no idea what is happening from inside the lab, her world dark, though, she can hear a final scream before the room goes quiet again. She can still feel the echo of darker emotions from Lucy's presumed kidnappers. She huddles closer with Violet and embraces the darkness and the unexpected, suddenly aware of a familiar roar that isn't so threatening. Violet looks up, "Is that…"

Riley laughs, relief showing through her stress, "They're back…come on!"

Garrett is in trouble in the lobby of the center, aiming his weapon with a shaky hand, "I'll shoot! Don't touch me!"

His attacker moves to knock him out so Garrett cringes and fires his weapon. The man falls to the ground and he jumps, checking his weapon that's still cold and looks over his shoulder to see Natasha Romanoff's smoking gun and a terrifying fire in her eyes. He smiles;

"Auntie! You look alive again!"

"Move,' she grabs his elbow and leads him down, 'Hulk is going to wreck this place if I don't direct him. Go look after your friends. Get them off the damn field and back in the bunker!"

"Pep! You look great!" Iron Man flies around the perimeter and meets his wife circling the opposite end in her own suit.

She hovers, "Oh Tony! You're back! Pivot left."

"What is happening?!"

"SHIELD invaded."

"SHIELD?! Tell me you left the baby home-!"

"I'm not an idiot Tony- duck!"

"Goose."

She rolls her eyes underneath her purple helmet, "Moron."

"I'm your moron."

Riley is trying to sneak by, urging Violet to run ahead while she waits at the staircase. She senses a presence and moves to scream, her mouth covered with a whisper in her ear not to scream again. Ushered along, she starts to panic.

Izabella runs for the entry, watching the hulk wreck the incoming vehicles. She aims her hands on the opposite side and helps Steve to defend a few of her friends. She fights hard, focused even when she's afraid. Steve coaches well despite his desire for her to return someplace safer. She protests against it with a desire to help, so he stays close enough to ensure she's not hurt.

Alex catches up to Natasha when she whistles for him and has her dog bite an oncoming attacker with a short command.

Clint sees Natasha and moves for her, cut off by a black van and a passenger door swinging open. Maria is wide eyed and pleading when she yells, "Get in."

Barton scoffs with a point, "You expect me to trust you?!"

Maria rolls her eyes and rolls down her window to show Riley curled up in the backseat. Clint concedes and the threesome drive off, Hill speeding down the busy New York highway.

Clint shifts, ready to stab Maria if he needs to;

"You have three seconds to talk!"

"I'm not here to hurt anyone. Kid?"

Riley grumbles, long hair in front of her unimpressed scowl, "She's not lying."

Clint is still suspicious, "Did Maria hurt you? Yes or no?"

Riley releases a guttural moan, "No! Well...does a push count? It hurt my self esteem being dragged around without being able to see where."

Maria checks the rear view, "Ugh! I brought the kid because I knew you wouldn't trust me without a bait, without her. And neither will Fury...which is where we're going."

"To un-retire Fury?"

"He's not retired, I shot him-."

"You shot him…of course..makes sense"

"-And locked him inside of his summer home."

"And...your reason for shooting people is.., what?,' Clint scoffs and points to his bicep, 'You're crazy."

"I needed to be convincing- it was the only way to get on the inside."

"Took a page out of Nat's book?"

"Something like that."

It's a bumpy ride, now that they're being shot at. Clint yells for Riley to duck and she obeys, aiming his arrow out of the back window.

"Why confess now?"

Maria snaps, "11 o'clock, Clint! Because I know what they want. Stay down Riley."

Riley mumbles, hands over her ears, "Yep! Sure!"

. * . * . * . * . * . * .

Steve is on a roll, losing focus momentarily as the agents begin to retreat. Natasha keeps firing, unable to recognize most agents and Hulk follows her, pressing them forward and off of their property.

Violet's parents arrive soon after to fight alongside the hero's and Svetlana searches for her kids.

Izabella's momentary distraction leads to a bullet grazing both palms of her hands. She falls back with a yelp, her green shield protecting Rogers from the opposite side collapsing with her when she's caught by Steve;

"Izabella!"

"I not feel my hands…! Ya istekayu krov'yu…!"

He lifts his shield and moves to pull her away from danger, trying not to gasp when she turns to show him her bloodied hands, steady tears down her cheeks in a panic.

He moves frantically, tearing the end of his shirt to wrap a tight makeshift bandage around each hand. He's searching for Banner, locating a roaring hulk instead…

Not helpful.

Clint?

Can't be found.

Tony? Well Tony is being Tony, threatening to blast everyone and leave a mark.

Steve doesn't have a 'dad' gene. He doesn't consider connecting with kids to be his forte even if he's mastering the art of consoling and teaching as of late. It feels oddly instinctual for him to talk above a whisper and comfort Izzy in some way;

"It'll be okay. Just stay awake, okay?"

She nods over his words, "...Okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I stole the title. Everything has has been planned for months- just not the title. For those of you who get it I’m imagining Jennifer next chapter, in Pepper’s helmet, hologram on SHIELD’s desk, “You have something I want. You may think you have some idea of what you are in possession of, but you do not...”
> 
> Yes! Natasha has to be sassy. Calling out Elizabeth is just necessary judging by Elizabeth’s reactions- let’s be real here! She’s justified lol. 
> 
> Maria’s double agent isms haven’t been executed exactly the way they were in my head but hopefully it translates.


	18. Friends from Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team works together to find Lucy and find the SHIELD infiltrators.

Locked in her cell, Lucy has her eyes closed, humming songs that bring some sort of solace to her. She had just turned fourteen a month ago, and now there she was, lonely and shaken. Her laces untied and her arm is sore from an injection- presumably to dull the abilities she still doesn't know what they exactly are.

At least, she assumes that to be the case. She's never been one to feel her 'she-hulk' side, if that's even what her red zone rage freak out could be called…

Locked in a cell...Her mother has told her stories like this. And fortunately she's prepared enough to snap her wrists free with a creative shoelace trick.

Being the daughter of a NASA/Government agent who turns into a wolf when he feels like it and a She-hulk means you start learning these sorts of things at 5. One problem;

She's not the quietest person when she's nervous. And she's never practiced with guards before. Though humming "You Will Be Found" intermittently would appear to be an actual nuisance for her guards. She'll pause for a bit if they tap her cell bars.

On the other hand; They've never had such a chipper captive, amused by her shoelace trick they're fully aware of. She pauses in her song to make a Broadway connection-the cell reminding her of a dark hideout underneath a certain opera house.

Pause.

It feels like it's been hours when she starts to hum again, this time louder, "...Crying at all is not allowed, not in my castle on a cloud."

"Hey."

She jumps, the whisper catching her off guard, believing he'll hit the bars again. She tiptoes closer to its source, the man keeping his voice extremely low;

"Is a balcony center seat just as good as orchestra?"

She's thoroughly confused by the question. She sniffles away a tear, "What?"

The SHIELD agent having volunteered for guard duty huffs and exhale, he shouldn't be talking to the prisoner but he's desperate;

"My daughter is turning 13 and she wants to go see Phantom of the Opera. I heard your reference and you sound like an expert on all things theater so is an orchestra seat worth the price…"

Lucy squints and moves toward the bars,

"I mean...nothing beats orchestra but if you get some big head that sits in front of you it might block her view. Like. First row center balcony isn't a bad option for Phantom because there's this chandelier- I won't spoil it. So why Phantom? Why the creepy-stalker-story? I have some issues."

"Issues?"

"It's not the best example of women empowerment, I know' She braves up and quotes her mother, who enjoys dissecting musicals when she's not green or lawyering people around, 'But it's a classic. I've seen it twice and the ballet is great but yeah, so like, I'm wondering why your daughter wants to go see that one so badly?"

"I don't.. know?"

"...What do you mean? You don't know her interests? Like. Why she like, likes some things or dislikes others?"

He quietly turns back to facing the wall across from them, giving his back to her and not another word.

"Guess I'll shut up now," Lucy wipes her nose on her wrist and pivots to go back to trying to climb the bars and softly singing her songs. Maybe questioning the parenting styles of someone who could turn around a shoot her was a bad idea. If she learned anything from the center it should've been that not every kid is as lucky as she has been.

* * *

Thor arrives after most of the mob has already retreated, hammer in hand and ready for action and quickly stands up to protect Rogers and Izabella while greeting them.

Most of the dust settles with the last car driving off. Seeing how his entertainment is off for the day, Hulk calms down a bit from his rage with Natasha's help, who reaches for his arm. Tony and Pepper land, with her removing her helmet;

"They attacked and wanted to take the kids with them. We need a headcount. Double Check every one's safe and sound, and here."

Natasha gasps and runs back inside, eager to account for all of them. She looks over the mob on the staircase all huddled together. A very disoriented Bruce follows her inside clutches his stretched pants at his waist and leans up against the wall within a mumble;

"Lucy, where's Lucy. I don't hear her voice."

"Lucy,' Tony is beside him, helping him stay on his feet, he pivots and yells louder, "Lucy. We have a Lucy?!"

Violet is rattled, "She was talking to the bad guys."

Natasha squints, "What do you mean talking to the bad guys, did they take her? Where is Riley?!"

"Dr. Banner?" Rogers interrupts before Bruce can get a word out and ask for Lucy. Steve is carrying Izabella bridal style, with her trembling in his arms.

Bruce gasps over her injuries, the amount of blood on Steve's shirt and over Izabella. He lowers down with them with no time for questions, "Med kit- I need a med kit!"

"You need a shirt first, Chewie," Tony quips.

Bruce snaps and clutches a pressure point to help Izzy, "She's bleeding out Tony! Med kit! Now!"

He scrambles, now aware of the urgency, "On it, I'm on it!"

Brody meets his sister with Svetlana, sitting on his knees, "Izzy!"

"Riley Proctor! Where is she?!" Natasha yells and closes her eyes.

"I'm here," Riley calls from the entrance looking dark with her eyes clouded, standing beside Clint, Maria and a suited up Nick Fury.

Natasha inhales her eyes wide when she carefully lifts Riley's chin with two soft fingers to see her vacant stare and the damage done to one of the kids she basically considers as her 'daughter', "Bozhe moi."

The girl senses the emotions of fear and concern from her mentor. Natasha has always been her favorite, a mother when she's not feeling herself. Knowing she's looking and feeling nothing but empathy causes her to mumble;

"I did something you told me not to do. It was stupid."

Clint looks up with a pause. Steve does the same and the two men give each other a subtle glance. It's Riley's story to tell and the fact that she'd rather not throw anyone under the bus for it, accepting some responsibility shows enormous growth in Barton's mind, putting the Proctor girl higher up on his rankings.

Nick scans the room, Maria's hands behind her back while she follows him;

"Did you seriously miss three months of my calls, Romanoff?! And not think to check in?"

"In Red's defense, her phone was bugging out all summer- in between dying and all that?!," Tony mumbles, holding Banner's kit to him.

"I was a little busy," Natasha looks up with a sarcastic glare, moving in toward Izabella. They're large lacerations Bruce is working hard to fix quickly. He gives her a dosage of pain medicine, a bit of numbing cream, and tells her to breathe. The redhead rubs at Izabella's shoulder when she can get in between them. She looks up to do another headcount and Riley can sense it.

Riley addresses their missing friend before Natasha can ask again, "They took Lucy. She gave herself up for us."

Bruce pauses in his stitching and looks down at his hands with nothing but guilt for leaving her unsupervised, trying to breathe through his rage while Izabella is so dependent on a calm state, "Where."

Silence.

Bruce hits the floor, a shade of protective green crawling his arm when he channels his anger at Hill, "Where, Maria?!"

Natasha taps her pistol, "I'll find her."

"I shall accompany you," Thor lifts his hammer, fully prepared to fly off until Maria touches his shoulder;

"No! No, that's not a good idea, both of you, stay where you are."

Clint is still clutching his arm, with Garrett sitting comfortably beside him;

"You're the one with all the info, you wanna share it with the rest of the class?!"

Fury interrupts, "SHIELD is only interested in using the kids as weapons. Child army."

Natasha grumbles, "What's your solution. Blow up SHIELD?"

Fury lifts a hand, "Hill?"

Maria steps forward, "It's three bad eggs. Hydra infiltrators- what's left of them- worked their way up the rankings and have taken over. Whatever they say, goes."

"I can remove your as you say, three bad eggs," Thor retorts with confidence.

"You weren't listening; whatever they say goes. They have sympathizers all over the world, it's not just these three. This could get ugly and fast."

Natasha touches her lip, addressing Violet's parents with a head tilt, "There are also hundreds of innocent people in SHIELD who don't know any better. And you three the lone defectors?"

Violet's mom shrugs, her Venezuelan accent thick, "As far as I know. Us and Maria…"

"Your IDs won't work after 24 hours. They saw you with us, they'll lock you out and mail a burn notice."

Maria nods, "Which is why I need to get back there before my boss gets suspicious."

"You defected…? Officially? Why do I find that hard to believe."

"You have to believe me, Natasha."

She grinds her teeth, "You threatened to take away everything I've worked for here. You lied to me, when I was sick and dying, no less."

Fury is finally registering her words, confusion in his stare. And he requests Tony fill him in.

The look in Maria's eyes is pained when she addresses Natasha, "I know. I had to. You would've done the same if you knew what was going on."

Natasha takes a breath, trying to reconnect with her friend and find the honesty in her stare, when Maria continues, "No amount of apologizing is going to make up for what I said. What I did to you, to all of you...especially Fury. I hope you can trust me again someday."

Clint points to his shoulder, "Well you shot me and my kid saw you doing it, so that'll take a while for me to forgive."

"And she's hiding my cousin's kid from me, I don't think I need to remind you that it's a bad idea to piss off two Hulks? So. I won't ask you again, Maria,' Bruce threatens one final time, his eyes turning green, 'Where's Lucy."

She grabs her jacket from off her waist, touching the cut on her temple, "I'll find out where they're keeping Lucy and tip you off when I can. Stay low for now. I'd move the kids to the tower."

"Can we trust you?! Riley, do the thing!," Tony points.

Riley throws her head back, brushing the hair from her face, "Yes! My god! Stop asking me to work! She's not lying…!"

Maria smiles appreciatively, momentarily forgetting that Riley can't actually see it and heads for the door at the same moment it swings off its hinges to reveal a very angry green skinned She-Hulk quickly followed by a suited up James Rhodes beside her.

Bruce groans and drops his head on Natasha's shoulder.

Jen asks for Lucy through her teeth, rattled over receiving a call to action with a rage the team has only seen once before. Her missing cousin is one thing, but losing her daughter only a year later is no doubt cause for her greener color.

* * *

It's been a few days and the Director's interactions with Lucy seem mostly focused on recruitment thus far, though her entry and abrupt remarks in this moment are starting to show impatience. The girl has learned the woman's name is Ursula- which opens the door for a while onslaught of Little Mermaid jokes.

Watching the girl from the security feed has been entertaining to say the least. One minute she's standing on the bed to try reaching the ventilation vent above it, just to flip upside down and start swinging on the bars.

Licking the cell bars, mimicking King Kong rampaging across New York and rambling on about mindless murder documentaries doesn't seem all that intelligent-or Hulk-like. And seeing the rambunctious teen BITE at the lock was the last straw. Maybe more so than her own Cell Block Tango routine…

"Lucy!,' Ursula pinches her fingers together and takes a recalibrating breath as she enters the room, 'My dear, I need you to tell me exactly what it is that you can do."

The Jameson girl quickly abandons her dance and humming, hugging her elbow behind her back, "Um, y-know...Hulk, stuff. Smash and roar and stomp on the ground, that sort of thing..with a shirt on."

"What triggers your transformation- what are you made of?"

"Hey! You sounded like Aunt Nahhh-I ain't not never!"

"What?!"

"My friend from the Center! She does that weird thing with her 'R's' and stuff, are you from Russia?"

"Ukraine," she admits pointedly, swiftly rolling her eyes.

Lucy nods to herself, "Oh. France."

France?! What?!

The Director pinches the bridge of her nose with limited patience, "What is inside of you, Lucy?"

"Um...my organs...some radiation? And…more human...stuffs..Heh..I'm stuffed, get it?"

The director blinks. Did she just say 'stuffs'...

Lucy pushes to the edges of her shoes, not feeling as tough as she did when she had her friends fighting at her side. Her eyes fall over her shoes, counting the ridges in a moment of distraction.

"Lucy!"

The teen jumps, her eyes wide. Maria intervenes, truly believing she's helpful;

"Maybe she's nervous. The inhibiting injection that you gave her-."

Ursula looks to be in disbelief when she focuses on Hill, "It was not an inhibitor. You were there for the briefing...I wanted to see what she could do!"

"Actually,' Lucy tries to be quick on her feet, needing a moment to collect her thoughts before continuing, 'Like, I…"

"If you tell me you've lied-."

"I haven't! Like! Not even once! Maybe I'm just- I'm. Um. Next generation and all that. Maybe my DNA looks a little different."

"Bruce Banner is your father…yes or no."

"Yes," She lies.

Maria's eyebrows furrow, unaware of their previous conversation.

"And who is your mother?" Ursula pushes.

"Uh,' She shifts, smart enough to do the math in her head and to avoid saying Natasha or things could get weird, 'Elizabeth Rose."

"Ross?," Maria offers voluntarily to cover Lucy's butt.

"Yeah, Elizabeth Rose Ross. That's where my middle name comes from, Lucile Rose Banner. Ha! No one else knows that! Of course. It's the full names your parents yell when they are mad- and like they are Mom and Dad to you, right? You didn't even know these were their actual names until they're mad at each other, right? Y'know what I mean?," She snaps her fingers nervously. Hearing her mother shout 'John Jonah Jameson lll' on repeat for her entire life has given her the idea. Her dad wouldn't usually repay the favor, usually out of fear of what Jennifer would do should he attempt to yell 'Jennifer Susan Walters'. Of course a summer full of 'Natasha Alianovna Romanoff' and 'Robert Bruce Banner' only supports the idea in her head that this is a thing couples do when they're mad.

Lucy is still rambling, "So what's yours? Your middle name? Does your SO yell it when they're mad at you too? 'Ursula Hurricane Longnose! You haven't told me your full name so I'm spitballing here mmkay? You get the couch tonight you lousy cheater! Thinking you can drop glances at my sister!- I have this whole thing in my head. You should see my head...or maybe not... It's some kind of dark tunnel of instant and immediate doom on a repeat, right. Have you ever gone to like, an amusement park? Maybe? You don't seem like the fun type but anyways! It's like some roller coaster ride I can't get off of! Like! The breaks are broken and my little car? Yeah, I am totally, completely off the track for the big first corkscrew and the final dip with no control- just 'AHHHH'! Like that, debating if I should fling my hands around in glee or grasp for dear life on the handles, the "oh shit" handles? Relatable. And the park doesn't even have insurance or a liability form people sign, so their butts aren't covered when they're sued. And the baggy- you know the baggy? In front of your seat? Where, they want you to throw your wallet right? Well I listened for once and put mine in there, right, except! The zipper wouldn't shut so- now! I'm dead because the coaster is broken and my school ID went flying so no one can find my body! My Dad is all like 'Where's my baby' right? And he wants a funeral but scratch that, right? And there's more lawsuits and a lot of paperwork- snowglobe style just boom! Paper explosion. And there's a musical interruption about it- tap dance, of course! A whole song. And then years into the future they identify the scraps across the globe- because - well...they just do! And it's like 'well she didn't have an ID so we have a really screwed up Jane Doe what should we do with her little itty bones?' And then they're like 'well she had a fish she really liked in third grade so let's bury her with the fish.' But they misprinted the fishes name on like his headstone because I WASN'T THERE TO BURY HIM! SO, then, my thumb remains get laid to rest next to the wrong fish and it wakes up as a ghost lion fish that haunts my ghost dreams- not to give you torture ideas by the way I love lion fish but like! Like. And like yeah like, that's it. That's my brain. That's what my mind is like. In black and white. Sometimes…"

Ursula looks deep into her dishonest eyes, blaming the twitches on the child's clear tendency to be easily distracted. Maria tries to connect with the odd golden color of Lucy's irises when she speaks, as if the long ramble hadn't even happened mere seconds ago;

"We're going to take a few tests. There's a gene which confirms whether you are a Hulk or not. In other words, whether or not you are of any value to me at all. If I discover you have been lying to me in some way, you can bet your value diminishes greatly, our deal is voided and you will be replaced by your friends from the center as quick as a snap of my fingers. If you are of no use to me, this does not mean you get to go home free...Think about that and choose your next moves very carefully. Do you understand? Miss Banner?" Lucy nods. "Good. Is there anything else-err RELEVANT TO THE CURRENT TOPIC of discussion, that you wish to tell me before we begin?"

Lucy shakes her head, once again trying to find her happy place and hum her songs a little quieter…

The Director walks in time with Maria, shutting the door behind her. Hill prods gently over the intense focus in her boss' stare;

"Something on her mind?"

Ursula tilts her head as if she's completely baffled; 'Stuffs'?! Making friends with her captors? The fish story?!

"I am a bit bewildered...completely.. bemused. How could two of the world's geniuses create THAT?"

Maria laughs to herself, the same could be said for John and Jennifer if the Director weren't mistakenly referencing Bruce and Betty;

"Beats me. At least she's creative."

"Now, are we absolutely one hundred percent positive, she is not Agent Barton's daughter? She did have a bow…"

Maria shoots the idea down, not before slipping a laugh, "I see why you'd ask- but no. Definitely the daughter of a Hulk."

* * *

The door where Jennifer and Bruce are 'talking' may be shut but their feud is loud enough for the kids and the rest of the team to hear down the hall.

Natasha is pacing, determined to let the cousins-practically-siblings work it out without her intervention. It's not like Jennifer gave them too much of an option-dragging her back to the Tower was hard enough.

Hearing objects crashing isn't entirely ridiculous considering Jen's current state, and Bruce is understanding. Apparently, whatever gene they share, is both extremely passionate and rage prone, which leads to a louder spat than Natasha was initially expecting. When that unmistakable hitch in Jennifer's voice replaces her rage, and that dreaded pause follows, she needs to stop eavesdropping for her own sake.

She pauses in her pacing, knowing exactly why the room suddenly goes quiet. Her heart breaks, looking over the children-her children- huddled in the common room. She can feel the loss, not as much as Jennifer by any means, but it's there. Lucy is practically her niece and she's grown accustomed to talking about dance with her, entertained by her dynamic with Bruce and how she'd act as though she owned the place, her contagious smile and laugh. And seeing Izabella without her friend attached at the hip feels equally out of place.

JARVIS calls for Stark, announcing a new arrival that leaves all of them suspicious and glancing at the door. The kids look up to the adults, concerned. Tony stands after idly sitting for so long, "Got a scan for me, JARVIS? Facial recognition?"

Thor stands as if he's ready for battle and Rhodes follows suit. Natasha makes a call after recognizing the man on the screen, on one of Lucy's many video calls;

"It's John."

"John who-." Tony is still questioning, unable to prove it to himself until the AI confirms Natasha's call.

Romanoff heads to greet the man once the elevator opens. He's tall, thin and with a somber expression when he asks for 'Jenny'. It's more curt than necessary, presumably recognizing the motley crew in front of him without a necessity for introductions when he only wants his wife and missing daughter.

Natasha points to the backroom, "She's with Bruce. First door on your right."

He nods, the initial introduction reminding her of Clint. A little guarded and clearly valuing his privacy. He's built a bit like Lucy is with clearly toned biceps and broad shoulders underneath his NASA uniform, of which has no doubt caught Steve's eye and earned him immediate respect. Natasha, being the spy that she is, already has him pegged. She imagines he's the sort of father Lucy will run to when her mom's answer is 'no' when she wants to go out for the night- The sort of dad who will turn a scholastic grade with a big red 'F' into an 'A' with the right pen and who, without a second thought, covers Lucy's butt when she screws up. A typical all-too-perfect dad who can do no wrong in the eyes of his daughter...the kind that shows up for her wedding rather than skulk around with his own agenda. With that, Romanoff curses a dead Ivan under her breath and answers checks her SHIELD device for a coded text from Maria;

"Fury?,' she shows him first, 'We need to move."

The ex-director huffs through his remark, ready to divide the team, "We need sufficient protection here."

Stark looks over his shoulder toward a sleeping Pepper with Antonia huddled in her arms, "I'll stay."

"I'll stay as well," Rhodes offers without a second thought. The Perez couple choose to stay back with their baby Violet, to stand and fight at the tower

Thor steps beside Natasha, signaling his desire to fight.

Clint taps his arm and twitches his head towards Garrett, ready to protect his son and recover a bit. Steve weighs his options, his focus on Izabella when he chooses to stay and protect the kids as best he can. Even if punching a Hydra agent would be extremely satisfying.

Natasha contorts her mouth, "We should split up the Hulks before this gets ugly."

"'Should' being your keyword there, Romanoff," Fury widens his stare with a sigh as if to say 'good luck.'

When the door opens to reveal the cousins and John, there is no way anyone can separate them and no one dares to try. Natasha shares the plan she has created in her head, based on her vast knowledge of the SHIELD base.

John will stand by Natasha and Natasha, stand guard while Bruce and Jen go in for Lucy. 'She might need a medic' is the only other tip off from Maria which Natasha purposely mistranslates to the group when giving instructions. Freaking Jennifer out anymore than she already is feels like a bad idea.

With their plan set, Natasha reloads her weapons. Fury is focused on taking down the 'new boss' completely disturbed by what has happened to one of the many initiatives he once looked at with pride. He'll be fighting under Romanoff who has surprisingly taken over the battle. She hasn't blinked twice, hasn't asked Fury for his input- and Nick isn't about to chime in when she appears so confident.

It's not just the Center, the kid's home that has been attacked- but hers as well. Her work is her life, a part of who she is. It's personal. An attack on SHIELD is an attack on her. And she hasn't recovered healthwise just to lose everything else.

* * *

Lucy has grown accustomed to the silence when, to her surprise, a guard breaks his own silence with a desire to ask a question. Shrugging, she nods, she feels talkative enough for a bit of socializing, she has lost count on the days she's been inside the cell, already. Lucy responds with, "It's a safe space! Nothing you say in this room can be used against you in a court of law, so shoot, not the gun, the question. Shoot the question."

He snorts. "You lived in the Tower.."

"Yes, I did"

"You know Thor?"

"Big, handsome alien. Yes, I know him. One gorgeous wife, two gorgeous babies, one weird brother."

"His regime...diet..you know it?"

Lucy snorts, "Pop tarts and waffles?! All day every day my friend! Auntie Nat says it's Darcy's fault. Darcy's the cute intern. "

"Huh. Maybe I should try that."

"Being a cute intern?" Lucy asks, to which the guard frowns and turns his head to look at her, she smiles innocently and he turns his back to her.

She taps his shoulder, unable to keep a secret and bored out of her mind, "Want more gossip about the Avengers? Cause like, I got plenty! Uncle Tony? He likes to try on Aunt Pepper's heels sometimes. Says they make him feel tall!"

He shouldn't respond to that, he can't help it, it is Tony Stark she's talking about. "No."

"Yeah! You didn't hear it from me, thought!"

The other guard coughs through his question, "Is it true Thor's married? You don't- actually- never mind..."

Lucy hangs her arms outside the cell bars, "Yeah, but we both know that man ain't straight! Omigod you guys-! Trivia for you; his hammer has its own bed and blanket- true story!"

"What's the dirt on Captain America?' the other asks, 'My wife is obsessed and I'd like to knock him down a few pegs…if that's even possible..guy's shaped like a dorito.."

Lucy tilts her head, "That's impossible. But I can share a secret. Tony and I think he's secretly married to this soldier guy he's obsessed with. He acts all, like, ace, but he has this guy's picture up in his bedroom. Won't stop drawing him on a sketchbook. Bucket? Buddy? Bucky? Something like that."

"No way."

"Yeah man! He gets really touchy if you ask about him too. So, shhh."

The other man seems to believe it. He laughs and pokes the guard on the opposite side, "Tony's observant. He caught me playing Galaga once... What dirt do you have on the Black Widow?"

"I know she has a secret stash of chocolate ice cream and a buttload of vodka, though I think that's pretty predictable already. You should see her alcohol cabinet, let me tell you-! It's only outmatched by her Arsenal...She does have a Hulk plush toy, thought."

"Black Widow owns a plushie?"

"She says it guards her bedroom."

There's silence after that...

"Who starts the most fights at the tower?"

"Clint."

"Who ends the fights?"

"Um, Steve. Or Nat or Pepper, depending on the day. Nat yells, Pepper stares, Steve mediates. So Clint hides in the vents right? And so…"

"The vents?!"

"Yeah. It's a whole thing-."

"Huh. He acts so...normal when he comes in for work."

"He wears sunglasses at night." She deadpans. "Oh,' Lucy snickers, 'Yeah I have like, so many stories. I forgot what I was gonna say?! Oh well! Hey, do you guys like your jobs? Working for SHIELD and stuff?"

They look at eachother. One shrugs. The other squirms, "I mean ...it's fine."

"Yeah, it's fine. Doesn't pay well, thought."

"No health insurance...but it's a job.." he mumbles.

"Huh,' Lucy lays her head over her arms, rested in the bars, 'Seems boring, is it boring?"

"Well...it gets a little old when you can't beat Maria Hill for the employee of the month bonus…"

"That's fair. So, what do ya'll think about Hydra? Do they have a retirement package?" The two men look at each other, completely confused, and then back at Lucy. The Jameson girl shrugs, "What?! I'm going to High School soon! I need career options! Also what's up with the Octopus logo? I thought it was a..y'know...hydra?"

* * *

The base is secure but Natasha knows how to get inside without a hitch. Having Jen around is the complicated part, even more when she has shown no interest at all in reverting to her human form.

Natasha and Nick share a few words and his remarks amuse her. It's comical how one cousin hates their greener side while the other embraces it and both are too stubborn to change one way or the other.

Thor would be easily recognized along with her so they stand watch. John and Bruce are headed for the cells while Natasha and Nick move in to look for the Director.

Maria gets her cue and after separating from her boss, swipes her card to let them in. She officially defects, loading her weapon and fires at the security cameras which allows Fury and Romanoff to enter from the back as unnoticed as possible.

The Director isn't hard to pin down for the trio. A twist of the arm and a few threats to shoot is all it takes for her to comply. Maria's attempt at retrieving any info is useless- it's been destroyed. By the end of the altercation Natasha is done, pulling the other names with a play on words and gets a full confession and three successful arrests in a matter of minutes. Maria's reassurance for the organization is brief. Some quit, immediately handing over their badges and packing their things.

It's a little disappointing for the newly energized spy, anxious to be back in the field. She doesn't bother going after the defectors, preoccupied with the missing bloodwork taken from Lucy along with information on the meta children. It is all mysteriously gone. The fact that it's completely remains their biggest obstacle but even the director seems confused by that. Making a call to Stark, and hears of an overall easy interaction. He's whining about the broken window and the fact that even a handicapped Amelia, Violet and Riley can outwit the adults and deflate a bomb with a little heads up.

Fury laughs;

"See what happens when you take over? This is why you should have her job."

Natasha scowls, "Yeah, nothing! I wanted a little more action than this…at least the tower had a bomb. A small one but it had one, nonetheless"

Maria drops her arms, Fury's comment finally sinking in, "She cannot have my job!" She protests.

Bruce and John head down the halls for Lucy, a pistol in John's hands, should the need arise. Turning the corner with his weapon raised, John panics over a scream.

Bruce and Hulk work in unison when he harnesses his strength to focus on breaking down the door at the hinge, quick to relax and breathe when it swings open.

"Dad?!" Lucy yells when she spots John, comfortably lounging on the floor, sitting on a pillow. She has a half eaten slice of pizza in her hand to match the guards. She twitches and refocuses on Bruce for the sake of her captors, "Oh I mean-! Dad! Daddy-o. What are you doing here?"

Bruce and John share a look. John lowers his weapon and sighs as if he should've expected something like this to begin with. He lays a hand on his hip and looks back at his daughter as if he's picking her up from soccer practice;

"Are you ready to go home?"

The guard on her left smiles with a wave, his mouth full. The other nudges him;

"Is she cleared to leave?"

"Unless you wanna wrestle the Hulk?" John threatens and points to his friend who can go green on command.

"Yeah she's good to go!"

Lucy stands and brushes off her hands with one another, "Oh! Uh, yep! Bye guys! It's been real! Hope your daughter enjoys Phantom."

The one lifts his device, "Already ordered the tickets! Balcony, first row."

"Great!"

The guard points to Bruce, "Your daughter is fun."

Banner's confused and sighs.."Oh she's not-."

Lucy takes his hand, laughing nervously and drags him out, "Oh Daddy, did you take your medicine this morning?"

"Medicine…?!"

John has to usher the both of them out. She jumps and gives her real dad a hug once he closes the door, "That was fun! Being captured isn't so bad."

"Don't tell your mother. At least make it sound like we wrestled? Or else she'll never forgive Natasha for keeping her outside. Were you drugged Lulu?"

"Nah! I feel great! Refreshed and ready for a latte,' she hugs him again, 'Great to see ya dad! Where's the Hulk, Uncle B? I'm not worth switching for?"

John looks mortified and Banner's eyes are huge when he mumbles whispers to Lucy, "So, you weren't drugged? At all?"

"Nope! Well I got one shot but I don't even feel it."

"Wha…hold on,' Bruce freezes to quickly look her over, 'You hardly have a scratch…"

"Nah! Just from the battle. Hey! It's mom! I see her through the window, HI, MOM!"

Bruce shakes his head in utter confusion, a little jealous of her indescribable luck when he addresses John; "How?! That's never happened to me!"

John just laughs, "Maybe that's her power; Talk so much you confuse the enemy. You should see the 'courtroom' she sets up to debate getting grounded. Half the time Jen and I forget what she's in trouble for."


	19. Widow’s Bite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony throws a party. Fury drops a metaphorical bomb on Natasha. Izabella opens up to Bruce about her visions.

Tony insists on an after party to celebrate, fixing his window and the damage done to the Tower from the bombs.

Truth comes out that there were in fact two which doesn't exactly help Natasha's boredom and eagerness to go on a mission. Fury addresses her with a secret of his own, comfortable on the corner of the common room sofa;

"I'm retiring."

Natasha coughs over his blatant emotionless remark, swirling a glass of wine in her hand. She swears she's heard wrong, knee crosses in her black jumpsuit with a shawl over her shoulders. The teardrop crystal earrings swaying when she turns her head, "You're kidding."

He casually sips his own drink, dressed down and comfortable, "I'm headed to Cancun next month- You look jealous...or murderous."

She tugs her light green shawl. Delicate embroidery etched on the side that she can't stop toying with to channel a nervous anxiety;

"Confused. You love your job."

He smiles, "Loved, ' he corrects, 'I'm old Romanoff. I couldn't even pinpoint infiltrators. It's time- I've had a good run. I've earned a break don't you think?" She grins absentmindedly, trying to imagine a scenario where he's not in the picture. "You and Maria have it covered. You don't need me. The adoptions are back on. You're...cured. Speaking of which...Why did I have to hear about your illness from Stark?"

Natasha tilts her head, unsure how she feels about this torch being passed... or the fact that when she looks around, Maria is missing from Stark's festivities despite receiving an invitation;

"Does Clint know?"

"I'm telling you first."

She bites her lip, "Who do I run to, for advice? I can't lose my mentor."

He smiles, addressing Riley giggling with Violet, "Consider this a promotion. You are the mentor now. Besides. the team stopped counting on me years ago. They listen to you, Natasha. You and Rogers."

She bites her glass with a light huff, "You're going to leave me alone with those glupyy idioty?"

He holds his grin, crosses a knee and sips his drink, amused over the idea of checking in every so often and watching her struggling to run the dysfunctional team.

She nudges him hard with the corner of her elbow, "You still owe me a honeymoon. You're just going to quit instead of giving me time off first? Cheap move."

He ignores, "I'm going to go get another drink, now."

Tony and Pepper are content to be rambling with Thor and Jane, exchanging horrifying parenting stories while Agmundr and Agatha play with Rhodes, Kat, and Amelia.

Jennifer has had enough of Led Zeppelin so she hijacks the remote mid-conversation with Bruce. He's laughing at her for her impatience, the way she switches the songs every few seconds;

"You know, Lucy does the same thing."

Jennifer mumbles with a snort, "Where do you think she got that from? Does it drive you completely bonkers?,' She gasps, suddenly, with a thought, 'Did she stack the forks over the spoons in your utensil drawer? Like I used to every Thanksgiving just to piss you off?"

"Worse,' His eyes widen, 'She reorganized Natasha's Keurig drawer."

"Oh no, how awful," she's monotone but there's laughter in her eyes, knowing exactly how to piss her cousin off for the fun of it.

"Okay, Jen! Do you realize how many K-Cups I have to get back to and sort by color once Lucy goes back home?! Fun fact; Natasha might actually drink more coffee than Lucy does...if she doesn't, it's a really close number, and by the way, I don't think Lucy really needs that much coffee... in my, clinical opinion, at least..."

John interrupts with a twitch, "And when does Lucy gets to "go home', exactly? You don't want to keep her for another two weeks? Summer isn't over until Labor Day."

It sounds like a valid offer to Jennifer who tilts her head to Bruce, "I mean, school doesn't start for another 13 days."

Bruce laughs, blushing as his smile slowly disappears, "Oh! Wow, you're serious."

Alex barks and makes a charge for the hors d'oeuvres table. Tony panics, Antonia squeals and runs for her dad. Natasha rolls her eyes and leaps from the couch with a whistle;

"Alex! Priyti! Sidet'!"

Jennifer narrows her focus, her green forehead reacting to her expression;

"So, I heard Nat was sick? Where did you all end up going for a diagnosis anyways? She looks fine-."

"Nowhere special-."

"She looks great-I mean,' John starts eyes glassed over but immediately retracting, 'Not as great as you! My scary, and very beautiful wife, I love you?"

Jennifer is glaring hard, ready to murder with her head turned to her husband.

Bruce bites his cheek. He's reached his limit on jealousy for the year and stealthily slips away to address a patient Izabella waiting for her turn to chew his ear off. She has questions about stitches on her palms, politely requesting one on one time for lab experiments and ability practice. For now it hurts to move her hands at all- which concerns the both of them though Bruce remains positive in front of her.

Clint and Laura are enjoying their peaceful corner until Garrett and Brody's kickball game lands on Barton's lap. Garrett cringes, Brody hides. Clint just grumbles, lucky to have caught their soccer ball before any disaster arised;

"Can you two, please, go play outside? If you break anything in this place, I can't afford a replacement."

"Yeah, dad," Garrett nods humbly.

"Sure thing, Agent Barton," Brody salutes.

Steve tries to offer, excitedly, looking after the boys, "How about we go mess with the cornhole instead? This way we don't break anything outside either?"

Lucy is swindling her friends out of a few dollars, an intense gamble happening between her and Galina over a card game. She stands, way too excited when she flashes her hand;

"Ha! Take that, Lina! Who told you you're allowed to rain on my parade?!"

Pepper claps, "Yes, please! Go up to that Karaoke machine and give us some real music, Sweetie! We need some Barbara here."

Tony rolls his eyes, "No! Please! I'm not drunk enough to hear a kid screeching-."

"Excuse you! She's a 4.5 octave vocal range thanks to my amazing training and my thousands of dollars invested in arts and theatre so you'll take that back immediately," Jennifer snaps from across the room.

Natasha makes eye contact with Bruce and nods toward the balcony, wanting a break from the noise...and to pull him from Svetlana who has conveniently crashed Izabella's conversation with the doctor.

Romanoff smiles out on the balcony and Bruce slowly closes the door behind him before settling by the fire pit. She smiles over her shoulder, red wavy hair vibrant beside the glow of the fire;

"Pulling you away from Jen for a moment is like trying to separate neodymium magnets from a bunch of scrap metal."

He appreciates her comparison and smiles at her, abandoning the beer he never actually asked for- but Tony insisted on- at the ledge of the fire pit.

She's not mean enough to laugh, "I see Svetlana caught your ear."

"Your eyes look so vibrant," he's quick to change the subject, walking to her.

She huffs an exhale, circling her finger over the rim of her glass. She feels alive again with no more aches, nausea, or discomfort, like she can take on the world single-handedly. Fury is on her mind, reliving their encounters and trying to recall the last time they've had a moment to sit out on the balcony. Trying to recall the last time she's seen him in a tie. What to do with the kids is up on her list of things to discuss: Riley's vision, the center, adoptions...

Her smile falls, "Are you okay? After, everything? Saying goodbye to Betty-."

"Tasha."

"-Izabella's accident- Riley, Lucy's kidnapping."

"Yeah,' he doesn't mean to cut her off, preferring to take a moment to breathe before dealing with the mess they need to clean up, 'I mean I'm not in the mood to party, but-."

"You never are."

"-And that's not fair."

"What would it take to make you chug a shot?"

He points to the glass bottle, "I'm drinking, don't push it."

"One IPA isn't drinking. No fun."

"I'll beat you in a game of cornhole when the boys are done with it, or is that still too boring for you?" he scoffs when she reaches to check exactly how much he's been drinking, disappointed over the bottle still half full.

Natasha rolls her eyes and mentally takes a step back. It's a big enough change for him to drink at all. And he looks so soft by the fire, vibrant brown eyes fixating on her, his curls begging for a pull, "I think you should indulge me in a round of strip poker. How many shots do you need in order to make that happen?"

"One. Just that zen-the-Hulk serum in my nightstand...," he blushes, unsure if she's making a serious offer or just messing with him. She looks out of it, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Riley is on your mind, isn't she? Tony might have a few ideas…we have to talk about it. Run some tests."

"She's always on my mind," Romanoff wants to talk about the kids, not at this exact moment. She moves to adjust her top.

"And you're feeling better?"

She nods, "I feel great."

"I missed your smile. I was really, really worried."

She hums, shifting to lay her head on his chest, "I'm fine, now."

"Yeah?,' he wraps an arm up around her shoulder to pull her close, 'No inexplicable urges to rage thanks to your new hybrid blood?"

"I don't feel green. Pun intended."

"Funny...No more nausea? Pain? No other kinds of green?" He gives a side eye, the smile making a quick comeback and wondering if she'll be mad at him for referencing her brief jealousy over Betty 2.0. She reaches a hand to pinch his side, "Ow."

"In my defense, Vrach, she was hitting on you the whole time, and right in front of me."

"Who?"

"She, Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named."

"...Oh, I don't know, I think you're-...well..."

Natasha coughs sarcastically, arms crossed, "Well, what? I'm waiting"

"...She was just being nice?" That comes out as a half question.

Being nice...she scoffs.

"She saved your life, I'm not going to pick her apart," He's less playful and more pointed with his statement.

"Of course not. It's Betty. She can do no wrong," Natasha doesn't seem impressed, sitting up to pull away and cross a knee.

"It's not 'Betty,' it's Elizabeth," Bruce picks up on her quick mood change and clenches his jaw, freeing herself from his hold, "Tasha…?"

"I see it now, I get why you two were so perfect."

The sarcasm in her tone makes his head shake, "That's not fair. We had our issues-I've told you that. No one is perfect."

She's down her own rabbit hole, gesturing through a crack in her voice and a smile on her face. Prodding him is too tempting, "I'm just wondering, how many 'nice' girls have you misinterpreted? You know, with me being away and missing all of those benefits, presentations, galas, with Stark?"

He's not amused, hands over his face when he sighs, "Oh Nat, don't. Don't do this."

"What?"

"I don't want to fight-."

"Is there a reason to fight?"

"...no?"

"Then why would you say that?"

"Because your jealousy is not entirely merited. It's me, Natasha, me! I think you forget that you're talking about me, nobody actually wants me,' he laughs through his words, 'Maybe...maybe! They're actually into you. Maybe they pity you for being stuck with me."

Now she's mad, looking deep into his eyes. She purses her lips, crumples and throws her shawl at him before storming back inside and slamming the door behind her.

"Natasha…," he groans and moves to follow. Bruce tries to stop them in the corner, "Natasha, don't walk away. Can we talk? I don't know why you're mad."

She whips around, dignity flying out the window when she yells, "Okay, Bruce Banner; Anything you want to say you can say in front of them. They'd agree with me if they heard what you just said. They're on my side with this."

She's dropped the 'Vrach' which is usually a bad sign.

"About what…" he sighs.

Clint looks up first, regretting the action. Pepper tucks her head and pivots to face the wall. Tony mumbles in his wife's ear, "What'd he do now? What'd I miss? Clint! $20 says she hits him before the night's over!"

"Deal."

Suddenly Jennifer cares, snooping around to the other side and leaning carefully in between Stark and Barton, "What are we talking about?"

"Your cousin."

Jennifer growls, a rage steadily building, "...if she hits him I'll make that woman wish she had never been born."

Tony looks up to her, slowly. Clint looks at her too, frowning;

"Touch Nat and I'll shoot a Vibranium arrow through your eyeball."

"Game on, Adam Lambert!"

"-Aight! Can we stick to betting?! And for the last time, leave the nicknames to me!" Tony raises his voice.

Banner glances around the room, though the extra chatter just sounds like white noise to him. His focus is on Romanoff, keeping his voice low, "Can we please talk-."

"-Yes, let's. Let's discuss the fact that you are so prone to self-loathing that you can't see how valuable you are. The fact that EVERYBODY wants you just goes right over your head which makes ME look like the nutcase!" Natasha scoffs and crosses her arms.

Steve interrupts cautiously, "Do you guys mind lowering the volume just a tad? We have kids here…"

"Nat-," Bruce tries to reach her calmly.

Natasha tilts her head, "What? I'm overreacting; Is that what you're going to say?"

"I- ugh,' he stammers, 'Well I could say the same thing about you! Do you think I enjoy those long missions away from you?! Or- or! Watching you flirt for a mission-?! But I don't freak out over it-."

"Yes, you do. Not right away but the Hulk will give me the cold shoulder."

"That's his problem, leave him out of it. I get jealous because you're beautiful and...obviously out of my league and everyone and their neighbor is aware of it, so when guys stare...I-anyways. I don't know why you get—! Ugh. And you have no idea how it bothers me when people look at you like you're...a dessert instead of...I don't know...bothering to get to know you..how smart you are...you're more than just a pretty body..." Natasha almost melts at his words...Almost.

"I'm jealous, okay? I admit it; I'm jealous! I don't like it when other people look at you because….because you're mine," She eyes his lips, unsure if she wants to completely shred him to pieces or bite his neck so hard it'll leave a permanent mark; Something that says 'Property of the Black Widow, back off.'

He looks so helpless and disheveled when he runs a hand through his hair, nervously biting his cheek, "Yours? I'm yours?...Why are you yelling, then?"

"Didn't they get married?" Clint asks in a whisper to Tony, he shushes him.

Natasha scoffs. Her Vrach definitely deserves a shredding, "You don't always listen when I talk, but you listen when I yell! So I'm...raising my voice. I'm yelling! Do you want me to keep yelling?! If you would listen to me the first time, I wouldn't have to yell."

"Preach," Pepper coughs into her hand...She has no idea exactly why they're arguing or what the problem is now, but it's not like the rest of people currently eavesdropping on the spat between the not-so-quiet couple understands either.

Natasha is unphased and continues, "You're valuable. You're important. You're smart. You're attentive to me and you know what I need-usually. You're...handsome. Okay? You're a...hot, commodity."

"Commodity…"

"It's fine. You don't have to listen to that."

"You called me a 'commodity'...so I'm property to you…an object. To be, possessive over…If I said that to you, I'd have a knife on my chest, by now."

Natasha moves to the bar with a deep guttural moan, sipping her freshly poured drink, "That's not what I meant and you know it. Don't be so dramatic."

His jaw falls, eyes wide, "And I'm the one being dramatic now…?"

Romanoff lifts an eyebrow and crosses her arms, brushing her hair behind her ear in a complete state of zen. He grins nervously, pupils dilating. He wants to bite her mouth and make her shut up for a minute, completely take her breath away and pin her up against a wall. She's well aware and baits him with a shoulder brush on her way to the elevator.

His tongue is currently doing laps around his inner cheeks in frustration. He waits, circling the room, pacing a bit longer before deciding to follow her action and head up to their apartment.

Tony quietly watches with a groan, leaning over to correct his bet with Barton, "Damn! Does it still count if he comes into work tomorrow with a bruise?"

Jennifer's head whips around over the word 'bruise' before Barton can respond, "Does that happen often?!"

"Relax Greenie Girl! It's not that kind of bruise," Tony tries to tap her shoulder. He surrenders when he realizes even on his tiptoes he can hardly reach her and settles for the bicep.

She holds her stare, knowing exactly how much it's rattling the engineer.

* * *

Stark can hear the sickening raspy chuckle, his eyes narrow and genuinely concerned for his friend's wellbeing when he pushes the lab door open. He twitches with a head shake;

"What the f-rench toast!"

Bruce is smiling, blushing over something Natasha whispered in his ear. Her back is to the door and up against his workbench to focus on the physicist. His hand untangles from her hair and down the side of her neck, and he turns to face Tony, greeting him with a simple "Morning" and a bashful smile.

Tony circles the couple cautiously, too confused to speak. One night they're screaming, ready to murder eachother and the next they're all flirtatious smiles.

Natasha bites her lip and looks down over their third wheel;

"I'm meeting with Fury, soon."

"For what?" Tony interrupts.

Bruce nods, focused on Natasha, "Okay. Be safe."

Tony questions, "Safe for what?! Where are you going?"

Natasha reaches to kiss Bruce's cheek, slipping over his mouth for a deeper kiss and to give his curls a tug. Her mouth is unrelenting until she gets a soft moan from her husband.

Tony cringes, "GOD! Really guys?! Get a room! Tell me you're not on the clock Brucie- or I'm deducting a solid five minutes of pay!"

Romanoff lifts her hand in a gesture to shamelessly flip him off on her way out. Banner only has eyes for her, watching after her long even when she's left the room.

Tony coughs, pulling up a plan on his screen, "So first of all we should put some ice on that bite-."

"Bite? What bite," Bruce finally snaps out of his fog.

Tony points to his own neck in reference to Banner's dark purple and blue surrounding the jugular, "Soapy water first, ice pack after, followed by some antibiotic lotion. Any last minute funeral requests?"

"Uh…," He touches the bruise Tony's referencing with a little blush and confusion. It's tender to the touch but nothing his fast healing capabilities can't handle.

"When did the Black Widow bite you?"

Tony is usually one to pry into private matters but this sounds crazy even for the engineer.

"Huh," Bruce opens his drawers in search of his emergency cold pack with a hand still trying to hide the mark on his neck.

Stark sighs heavily, still dramatic, "Poison isn't something to mess with, Brucie boy! Mr. I've-lived-in-foreign-countries- you should know better than to mess with poisonous arachnids,' he points to the side of his own neck again, 'You've got another one on the side. Nope, other side- you can't feel that?! It's bright red! You'd count that as a bruise right? Can I take a picture to send Barton for proof that I just won $20?"

"No."

"Wild night last night? Is that why we heard yelling until 1am? Wanna share the details before the venom overtakes your bloodstream and you leave us all mourning you in the rain?"

Bruce groans and cracks his cold pack, finally chuckling, "Can we talk about something else?"

Jennifer enters with urgent frenzy, tablet in her hand;

"Doc! I found you and Natasha an amazing couple's therapist! She's an old friend of mine- I love her, she's incredible-."

He shuts his eyes to avoid an eye roll, startled by her entrance, "Jen-."

"-Here, look; Five star reviews across the board-."

"Jen?"

"Doc?," she pauses, arms crossing once she slips the tablet on his workbench.

He clutches the ice pack to his neck with a chuckle, "Jen, I love you, but you're meddling. We're fine."

We're fine...

...Her mind automatically falls to a darker place. She's heard that line before- once or twice as a child, once or twice as an adult. Dealing with her cousin usually isn't always black and white when he's had an abusive parent, an angry alter-ego and a less than perfect marriage with a psycho father-in-law.

"Are you sure?! Because this therapist is amazing- I really think she could work with you and Natasha on some deeper level. Marriage counseling isn't something to be embarrassed about! If you need help, get help."

"We're fine."

She stammers, "What's wrong with your neck-Oh my god- Natasha hit you! Didn't she? She strangled you!"

"No, Jen-."

"Your lip, Doc! I'll kill her! I'll shred her-."

"Jennifer," he blushes, a little angry over her go-to response. He lifts an eyebrow and tries to keep quiet with a chuckle, "Relax. We're fine, trust me. It's okay, really. I appreciate the concern but Nat didn't...Tasha doesn't-...do anything I don't- She's not hurting me. Okay?"

"TMI! I mean, do continue,' Tony fumbles, resting his elbows in the desk and tucks his chin onto his hands, 'Hey JARVIS? Remind me to put soundproofing foam boards up in the Banner's apartment?"

Bruce glares. Jen's eyes widen, suddenly much quieter when she looks away with her own blush and realization, "Oh. Oh!...Okay. Alright. Well then...You're okay? Not feeling, dark?."

"Jen, I'm fine, really."

"Well. I look like an idiot, now."

"You're not an idiot," Bruce moves for a mirror, it must look awful if she's that concerned.

She pushes, "And, as for the argument last night-?!"

"We're good."

"You're sure…?"

"Positive,' he scoffs in the small mirror on the wall, shifting the pack to cover both bruises, 'You should see her-.' _hip_ 'neck!"

Jennifer looks half mortified, half impressed, unsure if she's comfortable expressing either emotion. Her jaw opens, closing as quickly as it drops.

"Vrach?" All eyes turn to the small voice at the door, tugging her bandages palms and the purple skirt that stops just below her knees.

He melts for his prodigy, fully prepared to clear the schedule for his, basically adopted daughter for however long she needs. He twists uncomfortably, still holding the pack, "Hi Izzy, are you okay? If you're looking for Natasha, she just left."

She nods, brushing a hair behind her ear, "Can I speak with you, Vrach? It about... um...About my power. About the center...Maybe, private?"

The center. The building that still needs a month's worth of repairs. He looks down and Tony seems to have the same idea, pulling up drawing plans from the original concept art. Jennifer seems intrigued, asking about what new security measures can be installed.

Bruce nods over Izabella's request and points toward his small office in the corner, "I'll be right there."

Izabella takes her seat at his desk, legs swinging. Bruce switches hands for his ice pack and leaves the door open just a crack. He settles, removing the pack with a cringe. The girl looks so concerned, pointing to his neck;

"You alright, Vrach?! It like some animal claw you, did Alex bite?!"

"No, no,' he chuckles, trying to quickly ease her worries, 'Alex doesn't bite...so...what's up."

She tucks her hands under her thighs, breathing heavy, "I tell Steve- well, Steve knows."

"Knows what," his eyebrows furrow thoughtfully, clasping the back of his chair as he rocks back in the left leg.

"Him know about- well. I see things."

"See things?"

"Like, future things,' she clasps her hands over her lap, 'I know Riley was- I saw that- about Riley. With Riley eyes. I see her eyes go dark."

He sees she's struggling to format her words and quickly running out of breath. She does this when she's upset and he knows it. Bruce leans forward empathetically, "It's okay. Don't rush. Take a breath. If you need to tell me in Russian that's okay."

She nods and takes a deep inhale, exhaling through her puckered lips. She lowers her volume, "I, maybe, show you."

"Alright," He nods and waits patiently though a little concerned as she lifts her hand. Izabella doesn't know what to expect, hoping she doesn't disappoint her mentor for hiding this particular ability for so long. His focus is too easily misinterpreted for disgust...She takes another breath…

Her fingers move subtly, a twitch there, a curl there, forming her weaker green ball of energy with as much power as she can through her current pain. She cringes and twists her wrist, using her other hand for support.

Right then Bruce wishes he had his glasses, trying to read through a misty green image. He touches his lips with a thoughtfully focused and concerned sigh, seeing this whirlwind of moving images flashing in rapid succession…

Riley losing her vision, Steve being beaten to a pulp, the blood, the Hulk roaring, a purple suit falling from the sky...

Izabella holds it for as long as she can, tightening her fist to evaporate the image when she can't. It conveniently cuts the typical succession of images short.

When he refuses to talk she believes she's done something wrong. Her eyes stay wide, trying to understand him and pull out a word.

He's busy processing and impossible to understand through the impending silence. He's barely moved, tugging his fingers, biting his cheek.

Izabella swallows and finally utters a few words to break the quiet, "...skazhite chto-to."

He grins, quiet in his reply, "How long has that...this, been a thing for you?"

She looks at her palms, adjusting the bandage on one, "Since we move to America."

"So, a while."

"Da."

"Huh." He rubs his cheek, knee starting to bounce. The doctor has a million thoughts as he tugs his fingers. His eyes shift for the floor;

"So...your powers can breach different dimensions. Because of that, I don't- Okay; Seeing Riley's eyes cloud- well that's one thing. But. It's impossible to know, if what you're seeing is, our future. The current space and time without experimenting. Without testing. Even then it's...I don't want to say impossible…maybe. Maybe we can train you to focus on one thing. Maybe it's, a week from now, a month from now, and we-we harness this new ability. Stabilize it, focus it. But. Let's allow your hands to heal for a bit. You shouldn't push yourself until those tendons recover. Okay?"

She nods in agreement.

He continues after a pause, "...This is bothering you?"

She looks up at the ceiling toward the light, a trick she's learned from Natasha to prevent tears, "I'm scared, Vrach. I not understand it. This future is dark. And for Captain? I have koshmary."

He offers a grin, ducking to try to look into her eyes when her head falls, "Hey, hey, it's alright. There's no reason for nightmares. It's nothing we can't mess around with, alright? We'll figure it out. I promise. You and me...maybe Tony too."

She laughs, brushing an escaped tear, "Tony too?"

He tries to play, pushing away his own anxiety over her new trick, "And we should tell Nat. Just do me a favor and try not to show her any of my other dimensional exes again, please?"

"Okay," She giggles, standing to hug him for comfort.

"Hey; We'll figure it out. It's nothing a little science and research can't fix, right?"

"Right," she nods against his chest, in no rush to remove her arms from his shoulder. He breaks, hugging her back. A knock on the door makes his head shake- he's starting to recognize that voice. She's not as intolerable as she was two months ago but still loud and chatty. Lucy is in the lab now, with a rant about how his 'filey things' are so orderly it makes her 'twitch.' She swings around his desk and spins in the chair on the opposite end;

"Ooh! I really like these chairs," she props her dirty sneakers on the top, pulling her knees in. It makes him cringe and that only pushes her to test his patience further, "Hey, Uncle B?"

He groans through his teeth, standing with a tremble to restack the papers she's sent flying. It makes Izabella laugh so he can't complain too much, "What Lucy…"

"Can I get a hug too? Because we're family and you're the greatest Uncle I've ever had?"

"Yeah right. I'm your only…'uncle'."

"Yeahhh and I'm your only 'niece' so you should give me what I want because I'm absolutely adorable and you love me."

He huffs out a laugh, "I'd love you more if you kept your filthy shoes off of my chairs."

Jennifer walks in and swings the office door open, waving her hand toward her daughter, "Oh, come on! Were you raised in a barn?!"

Bruce cringes, "That's a little harsh, Jen."

"If you're going to trash his office do it right and go for the filing cabinets. That's how you get someone with OCD. Trash with a little dignity. Who raised you?!"

Bruce laughs through his headache, "No! Lucy! No no no no! Hands off! I will not hold back the Hulk if you even think about touching that cabinet!"

The teenage girl narrows her focus, hands fanning to the side, "Wait! Is that supposed to be a threat?! It sounds like an invitation! Ha! I've been dying to meet him!"

"Hulk not so bad," Izabella shrugs.

Jennifer claps, laughing happily, "Thank you, Izabella! At last we hear some sense."

Bruce points to his cousin, "And you're not helping."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two more chapters guys! I can’t believe we’re almost done!!!


	20. Blind Faith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley’s abilities help to finalize a bunch of adoptions.

Natasha is catching up on her files, dismissing the third interview of the hour. Jelena is mingling with her potential new parents in the refurbished lobby of the center. With the second floor under construction, the kids have been living it up over at the tower; Late night sleepovers, an unhealthy amount of ice cream and candy provided by Stark and plenty of intricate hide and seek.

Jennifer and John have stayed the past week, enjoying a 'vacation' in New York in between trying to tie up the loose ends with the Hydra infiltrators. Lucy's DNA is still missing, Ursula isn't speaking and Natasha is struggling to find more intel.

Lucy has even convinced the other meta children to indulge her by attending a Broadway matinee of Hamilton. And Jen's late birthday gift of Wicked for her daughter will live on to be one of Lucy's favorite moments in time itself. Seeing the stage afterward left the girl in aww and complete silence. The highlight of John's week as well...being away from his girls for a day.

Galina has moved on with a family in Kansas, Michael to Kentucky, and Kat to Connecticut.

Amelia is back from her venture with a family and her wide smiles upon returning to the center tells Bruce she's happy enough to move forward with them.

He smiles back and holds the door to his office for Amelia to give Natasha the full report.

Iris went with Timothy. Brock to Jersey…

Their list was dwindling but Natasha is far too focused on her prodigee to shed more than a few tears on the others. Day in and day out Riley sits with the Banners at the desk and voluntarily contributes her powers to expose the potential parents and judge their honesty.

The redhead is ready to wrap up for the day at this point, with Bruce and Riley mid conversation on who would win in a battle between Thor and the Hulk...these are the sorts of stories she can tolerate from the physicist.

Natasha triple checks her sheet mumbling with a quick check on her clock;

"We have one more meeting...it's for you Riley."

The girl's eyebrows lift in complete surprise, "Woah. For me?" She nearly trips trying to run to Natasha's voice, caught and steadied by Bruce. She flushes with a squeak full of disgust and touches the space behind her to locate a chair, "Who is it?!"

"Miss Hayes? Her bio is suspicious. I'm not sure how I feel about this application, Vrach."

Natasha reaches to pass the tablet to Bruce who already has a hand extended, "Mary Hayes...detective for the NYPD. It's fake- Sorry Riley."

Romanoff frowns with a heavy sigh full of disappointment. Riley's heart drops and Natasha can see the moment it happens. The girl shrugs and crosses her arms, wanting to move onto another topic and fast, "So. What's for dinner?"

Natasha makes eye contact with her husband, trying to decide what to do. Her foot props up onto the desk, "I say we wait and see if Miss Hayes shows up. She has about twenty minutes."

Bruce shrugs, unimpressed. He glares over Natasha's foot on top of their work area. "She better be on time and with a valid New York ID."

Natasha seems to agree with a strange flicking hand gesture and a silent exhale. She can feel Riley trying to prod her mind so she gently swats her hand, "Oh my gosh, will you please stop it. For the billionth time; That's NOT how you make friends."

Riley snickers and bites her lip. Of course the woman finally interested in adopting her would be a fraud. That's just her luck in life.

The three of them wait in the silence until Tony walks in with Antonia, running his mouth about how he was bored and in the area. Anna runs to her 'Uncle' and requests a pick up, reaching for his glasses the instant Banner complies with an obligatory scoop. He cautiously hands over his lenses, chuckling when she tries to put them on, "Don't do that, kid. You'll hurt your eyes. You don't need them."

"Where's my Anna? Do you want your Auntie Tasha?" Natasha reaches to tickle their young friend's back and Bruce dips with the intention of handing her over.

Bruce pulls Anna back when she squeals, "Sorry, Tasha."

She scowls over the girl preferring Bruce's attention. Her eyes narrow on the toddler, "Traitor."

She checks the clock, determined to wait until the last possible minute for this mystery woman.

A look of pure shock spreads across the faces of the three adults when Maria Hill walks pointedly through the door and takes a seat across from Natasha at the desk. Romanoff folds her hands, and Antonia breaks the tension with a giggle. The corners of Riley's mouth curve up to a knowing grin when she picks up on two things;

Maria is nervous, and she is there for something...or someone.

Hills coughs to clear her throat, adjusts her plain mauve flowy t-shirt and white jeans. She can't hold eye contact with Natasha who's jaw has gone completely slack so she looks up toward the science nerds who look equally horrified.

She coughs again, "I'm here to apply for the role as Riley's caretaker."

Romanoff finally closes her mouth and checks her sheet. Maria rolls her eyes with a confession, "Sorry about the name. I just thought you would automatically deny me if I wrote 'Maria'."

Natasha looks up, tilting her head with sarcasm in her tone, "So we're still lying to each other. This is a great start."

Maria reaches into her bag and opens a folder, "I have 18 references, all from people you personally know and trust. My full application along with a four page essay on how I plan to care for and parent Miss Park are all included."

'Park' impresses Bruce, she's done her research on the young girl enough not to call her Proctor...or has at least paid attention these past few years. Natasha bites her cheek and takes the folder with a tug, going through her questions emotionlessly, "And. Do you have a next of kin? Some other legal guardian who can support and look after Riley should something happen to you."

"Nick Fury."

Natasha looks up, Tony scoffs, but Maria is quite serious when she elaborates;

"Should something happen to me, Fury would take her."

The redhead scans the page, surprised to locate the signature of her mentor completely backing Maria Hill's application;

"You realize, this contract means you cannot use her as a weapon?"

"Yes ma'am."

Natasha scans her tablet and flips through the pages before abandoning all structure, "Why this, thought? And why now?...I thought you hated children?"

"Riley's not a child,' Maria nods, Riley's grin gets wider, 'She's becoming a strong independent woman who inspires me to want to be better. She reminds me of myself...if I can guide her, provide for her, care for her, I imagine she has a brighter future."

"And her powers?"

"Irrelevant. She's valuable with or without her abilities. I see this young lady for what she is and believe she deserves a loving home...and a mother. I believe I can fulfill that role."

Bruce looks over his shoulder, checking in with the girl, "Riley? What do you think?"

She brushes a hair behind her ear, her focus low and Natasha can tell she's breaching Maria's mind;

"I like her."

Natasha pushes, "Do you trust her?"

Riley thinks for a moment, clearly using her powers, before she talks, "Yeah. I trust her. I think she'd be a pretty cool mom."

Maria smiles kindly, trying hard not to get ahead of herself. Natasha narrows her focus with a muttered threat that exposes her deep rooted accent;

"If you ever betray this sweet girl, I will find you, I will torture you, and then I will end you, slowly...You know I'm good with knives."

"Knifes!" Antonia tries to repeat, still in Banner's arms.

Tony reaches too late cover his daughter's ears and glares at Bruce;

"No no! Olaf, flowers, and fairies! No knives. Is this what you and Red teach my child when you babysit?! Really?!"

"You should see what Nat's taught her to do with a machete,' Bruce jokes, Tony's eyes widen in fear, 'I'm kidding! Bad joke, sorry."

"Vrach,' Natasha takes up the pen for her tablet, briefly acknowledging the peanut gallery behind her though never breaking eye contact with Maria, 'We will try it for 30 days. Randomized check ins; twice a week, at least. Mandatory employment evaluations…And I get to see the home twice before she moves in. Vy ponimayete?"

Maria tilts her head and bites back confidently, "...Vse, chto neobkhodimo."

Bruce chimes in with a reminder, "Guitar lessons…"

"Guitar lessons! Mandatory," Natasha repeats and directs her remark to Maria.

Riley swings her feet in anticipation, about ready to cry over knowing she's finally wanted. It'll be a process but she's ready for it, ready for a family of her own.

* * *

When Jennifer books a nail appointment she insists on showing up green, and when the salon dismisses the bill, she's all too happy to accept. Svetlana, Izabella and Pepper go along with Jen and Lucy, the moms are busy venting about motherhood and their children while the kids are in their own bubbles.

When Jennifer proposed the idea to Natasha. The redhead snorted in her face and finished the rest of her vodka with a quip, "There's so much blood underneath my fingernails they'd charge me triple." It doesn't necessarily impress the cautious lawyer. Natasha's excuse of going on a mission with Clint to Oregon- Ursula's hometown for information- that flies much smoother.

Over at the salon, Lucy insists on nobody touching her feet so she sticks to a manicure, picking a matte jet black to appease her mother in this 'girlie' outing that's not entirely her style. Izabella is far more vibrant and 'girlie', selecting a light violet that reminds her of one of Banner's favorite tops.

Lucy's feet are swinging, cringing over the way her lady is filing her pinky finger. They're talking about Jennifer, Izabella's going on about how nice she is, how fun of a mom Lucy has. The Jameson girl contorts her mouth and asks her random question out of the blue. It seems like a touchy subject to ask about her friend's mother so she doesn't. Instead she laughs;

"You really like purple," Izabella nods with a soft expression.

Izabella chuckles, "It your Uncle's favorite. And so we match."

Lucy shakes her head, foot swinging from her chair, "Nah! If you wanna match you gotta get that green shade! You're going to make the hulk jealous if you keep copying Uncle B. Hulk's your mentor too, y'know?"

"Maybe so,' she flicks through the samples, 'This green?"

"One hundred percent,' she shifts a bit, much to the dismay of the woman working on her nails, 'Why do you like...Uncle B so much? Is he like, the dad you never had or something? Do you just like nerding out together?"

"We love nerd out. Um...I never meet my dad,' Izabella confesses as if she's calling the sky blue, with little emotion, 'I imagine my dad be like, your Uncle. Kind. Smart. Good."

"He's cool. I never really met him before the summer. Okay I did meet him but like, never hung out with him properly, I guess... He's really funny when he's mad! Aunt Nat is fun when she's NOT mad! So question; Like! Did you, know your mom," Lucy drops her chin over her shoulder, brave enough to finally ask.

Izabella looks as though she's trying to find the words, holding her soft expression;

"She died. I was smaller, about hmm, 7. That when I meet Natasha and Vrach. They save me. Natasha help to find the bad guys who-."

Lucy coughs on her own swallow, "Seven?! Oh my god. Like. That's so weird! Sad! I would die without my mom-sorry."

"It's okay-."

"Do you miss her?"

"Hmm?"

"Your mom?"

"Yeah," Izabella holds her grin and swallows hard, her eyes glassy. She's quoting phrases she's heard from Bruce, from Natasha, even Steve has offered her some solace on a darker topic they all can relate to. Svetlana also has her own interpretation, ways of comforting that also spill out when Izabella continues, "I have, the memories. She never really gone with those. And she watches over me, so I not alone. My father too, he watches over me too."

Lucy looks at her nails, eager to pick at the chip in the corner of her fourth finger once her hand is released from its captive state, "You're like, so positive... It's kind of annoying? But it's also kind of awesome?"

Izabella huffs a laugh, "Thank you?"

"Sorry, I didn't want to make you cry, or like, anything like that. I know you're a crier-which is totally fine by the way."

"It okay,' Izabella offers sincerely with a sniffle, 'I have cool brother now. And pretty sick Aunt."

Lucy laughs, "Yeah! Brody rocks. And your aunt's pretty sick. Well, you can also share my mom. She acts all tough but she's my biggest cheerleader and sort of the coolest person ever. We could be sisters! Like not really, but like, you know? Like best friends. Like Glinda and Elphaba. Oh! My god,' Lucy spins with an idea, 'We should like-! Get matching charms or something! Before I have to go home. I wanna like! Harness the summer. Some days were like, really bad, but most of it was pretty sick."

"Bad?"

"Well," she's yet to tell Izabella she's the cause for Riley's injuries, expose her abilities or even bring them up. Her eyes gloss over and she goes silent...a rare occurrence. She's hiding facts from her friend, believing she'll be viewed differently, completely unaware that Izabella is currently doing the same when it comes to her obscure 'visions' that she now knows for a fact include Lucy whether in this world or another...

Izabella misunderstands, curious when she asks, "Are you okay? After being capture?"

Lucy bounces back quickly, "Okay-Like! It was awesome. The guards were so like! Chill! I had the best adrenaline rush! I did this thing-Where I-!"

Izabella chuckles, "No more moving! You make your lady mad."

"Okay okay! I'm sorry! I can't sit still AND talk! Whatdaya want from me? Hey Izzy? What was the other world like?"

The woman finally laughs through her frustrations with Lucy's squirming, amused by the girls and their banter pushing away her questions for Izabella's odd hand scars and their absurd conversation about being captured. Having a large green She-Hulk on the opposite side with Pepper Stark answers most of those questions anyways.

* * *

One of the largest adoption days demands space only the tower has and Tony is all too happy to be throwing another party.

With most of the kids moving into other states, they won't be able to train and visit on a regular basis. And Natasha isn't taking it very well. Even Steve is a bit emotional over losing his 'sons'. Iris is Clint's biggest loss- having a kid who can shoot moving further away. With Lucy heading home soon and so few kids to teach, the Bartons are debating on 'flying south' for the winter. And Tony hasn't stopped with the bird puns all afternoon.

Jane is chasing Agmundr for hitting his sister and Agatha is crying. Which means the two fussy toddlers start to poke and zap each other with their powers. Thor looks on proudly, boasting about their abilities while Jane struggles to separate the twosome. Antonia waddles over with a lecture, fully believing she can convince the siblings not to argue and find some sort of infant style resolution. Jen is impressed. She points, quietly sharing a drink with Pepper in the corner;

"That's a future lawyer right there."

Maria sips her lemonade, pretending to be intrigued.

Clint and Natasha have jokes for each other which turns into an impromptu sparring session until Michael and Brody decide 'well if the adults can fight, so can we.' Their wrestling comes to a screeching halt until Barton decides to get in on it and give some final tips to Michael on how to swing properly. But Brody still manages to win thanks, in part, to Natasha, who takes his side and helps him out.

Riley and Izabella are talking on the sofa when the former stops, vacant expression signifying she's mid breech. She stops with a groan;

"Nope. I'm sensing nothing. Garrett hates me."

"He not hate you."

"Nope. He does. He barely knows I exist."

"That not true. Look, him coming over! I mean! Not look…I mean! You understand."

Riley scoffs, tucking a hand under her head, "He's coming over here? Is my hair good? You know what, I don't even care! It's fine!"

Izabella reaches a hand to brush her friend's hair to the side, "There. Quick fix. Pretty."

Riley listens for the footsteps hugging out an exhale when she hears him walk right on by and address Lucy. Riley drops her head into her forearms with a heavy exhale, "Boys suck! People suck!"

"Sorry," Izabella cringes, feeling guilty for telling Riley he was headed their way in the first place.

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?," Lucy crashes, Garrett follows.

Riley frowns over that voice, "We're talking about nothing. In fact! We're not even talking, right Izabella?"

The Mikhailov girl goes along with it, nodding, "Yep! No talking here."

"We're enjoying the zen, the calm n'ohmygod geometry! Why am I sensing geometry?! My brain just got that weird sensation-"

"Brain freeze?"

"Yeah. It's a Saturday. Who- the wha- okay somebody tell me, what nerd just passed by my space? About five feet off to the right…"

Lucy fills in Riley with a laugh, "Uh...Uncle Tony and Uncle B just walked by but ooh! Wait, were you trying to read someone's mind?! What am I thinking?! For old time sake! Go!"

"Gahhhh, blahhh, ugh! I'm still gagging over all those numbers and weirdos,' Riley holds her head, 'Remind me to stop invading people's mind without consent, please."

"We do, you not listen," Izabella offers with a little too much sass.

"Yeah, yeah."

Garrett laughs, chewing the string on his hoodie when Brody comes to crash with the rest of them and insists they all play a game he's made up only minutes ago. The kids all agree while Riley's face goes vacant...cheeks pale, eyes widening...

Brody misinterprets, "Was my idea really THAT BAD?! You should see your face right now. Riles?...Earth to Riles?"

Riley snaps, "Shut up you butthead, I was trying to feel something…"

"Hey! You told us to stop you from breaching. So no more breaching-."

She's still distant, searching for that feeling of familiarity that quickly disappears, "Yeah okay…"

"Also! Like! If there was a problem,' Lucy pushes Izzy's shoulder, 'Izabella could just warp us all-OR! Put up a huge force field around the tower."

"Um, I would but I'm..out of commissions?" Izabella cringes and unclenches her fists to show her tattered palms, still shredded.

"Oh yeah. It's 'commission'...But still!"

Steve is the first to pick up on a problem, pointing out a suspicious person to Maria Hill, who follows the target from a distance. With her own questions, she moves toward Natasha and points out to the stranger. Romanoff's eyebrows furrow, she pokes Bruce next;

"Do you recognize her?"

He takes one look and shakes his head "No, you?"

Natasha sighs to herself, digging into her pocket to triple check the credentials;

"Hannah's new family? Does that look right Vrach?"

He reaches into his pocket and skins through the tablet, looking for a clue, "Honestly Tasha, I've interviewed so many people this week that they all look the same to me by now."

She's a spy, she never forgets a face. Natasha rolls her eyes when Antonia comes stumbling over, crying for her dad that she's too short to find. Romanoff abandons her tablet, scoops the girl and brushes the tears from her cheeks;

"Aww. Poor baby. Did those crazy demigod demon children electrocute you? It's okay Sweetheart. We'll find your useless daddy...Maybe we'll find your mommy instead?"

Steve walks over to the couple for a check in on his suspect, "Did you find anything? That woman was alone all evening, wandering around and not talking to anyone else. Checking out the tower…"

"Want me to go talk to her? Worst case scenario is the Hulk shows up," Bruce shrugs his shoulders.

"She just left with the Perez family."

"So, that's a no?"

"I'd still research but."

"We're probably overreacting."

"Yeah."

Natasha sighs, shifting Anna to her opposite hip, "Ugh. You're getting heavy."

Steve is suddenly self conscious, checking himself. Natasha smirks, "Not you Steve, I was talking to the baby."

"Oh!"


	21. Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the finale, you don’t get a summary.

Jen is yawning, still in her dress from their night out and John is yelling for Lucy to hurry up with her 'goodbyes' for the night;

"You'll see her tomorrow for Pete's sake! You crazy kid."

Izabella laughs and hugs Lucy one more time before waving. Jen lifts a hand with a second yawn and thanks Natasha and Bruce for babysitting for the evening, eager to head down the hall and to the apartment they're renting. Bruce catches the door to their apartment when Lucy tugs a little too hard, catching Jennifer's contagious yawn and offers his cousin and her family a 'goodnight.'

Natasha steps out into the living room and checks her phone, "Where's your Aunt, Izzy? It's almost 10."

Izabella checks the clock herself, circling now that her friend is gone for the evening. She crouches beside Natasha and studies the suit of the Black Widow currently in a small suitcase.

Romanoff is preparing for a mission- the last with Fury or so he says. She still doesn't entirely believe his whole 'retirement' plan…

Izabella smiles, reaching into the front pouch of Natasha's luggage to find the charm bracelet she wore at the wedding, the ruby and emerald stones dangling from the center, "I remember this."

"It was Vrach's wedding present to me," Natasha is feeling nostalgic and packing it is no coincidence. If she's going to a gala without Bruce, she'll take him with her somehow. She scoffs, folding a sweatshirt, "The emerald matches your nails."

Bruce has heard his nickname, looking over the frame of his lenses to the two girls. Alex's ears go up so Banner's attention drifts toward the dog instead, who decides to sniff around the apartment. The physicist pinches the bridge of his nose in an attempt to stay away, abandoning the papers in his hand that contain Tony's plans for the Center with a cough;

"I'm fading, Tasha. What else do you need for your mission?"

She twists her lips, searching the room, "I'm missing a cuff? I just had it."

Izabella leaves the bracelet on the nearby coffee table with a point, "I check your laundry?"

"Yeah...thanks Izzy."

Natasha pivots with a smirk slowly spreading across her face when she looks at Bruce and whispers, "I can't decide if you look completely 'mad scientist' or completely adorable."

He visibly weighs his options, "Does it have to be one or the other?"

She bites her lip, content when he suddenly embraces her, wrapping his arms around her waist, she wraps hers around his neck and reaches to catch his lips with hers with four quick kisses, holding the last a little longer. She hums and holds his face gently;

"Svetlana should be here soon."

He hums in reply, kissing her palm, "I love you."

Her head tilts, "I'll be back in two days."

"So four."

"Vrach…"

Alex perks up, his ears pulled back on high alert when he fixates into the window and growls through the open blinds.

"He saw a pigeon," Natasha makes an assumption, confident in her bet.

Bruce carefully redirects her chin back towards him to kiss her one more time.

"I find it-,' Izabella calls out and immediately goes quiet over their kiss, refocusing on the floor until they've parted, 'Sorry, I was too loud."

"It's okay," Bruce chuckles, carefully dropping his hands.

Natasha sighs over Alex's barks getting louder, his tail wagging when she moves to calm him with an ear scratch, her back to the large window;

"Oh my gosh, what has gotten into you sladkiy mal'chik moy?" Alex whimpers, his tail going down on high alert. Natasha's brow furrows, "What, Alex? What's wrong?"

"Here, I'll take that," Bruce extends a hand to Izabella, shoving the last piece of Natasha's uniform into her bag.

"Alex, stop," Natasha sighs.

"Vrach!" Izabella shrieks milli seconds before the glass shatters, recognizing the eyes of someone all too familiar swooping down before immediately vanishing.

Natasha leaps to the right, covering her head as the glass and smoke fill their living room with an explosive burst. Alex whimpers from behind her and Bruce ready to bring the Hulk until Izabella lifts her hands and engulfs the four of them in a light green mist almost instinctively.

A half second before they all vanish, the couple lock eyes with a former student, a young girl of about 13 who emotionlessly blows the smoke from her hands and into the tower. Her eyes dark, a Hydra symbol on the shoulder of her black jacket.

It's almost slow motion to see Linda attempt to wipe them out without a second thought, spiraling downward with a small swarm…

* * *

It's a second before Izabella is back at the apartment, coughing through the leftover smoke. If there's one thing the tower is good for, it's the precautionary measures put in place should the home base of the world's greatest heroes be attacked.

Someone is calling for her, it sounds like Jen…

The Iron Man suit has arrived, Tony mumbling a bit of reassurance as his covered hand moves to clear the smoke and the flames from the room.

Izabella's head is spinning, there's a cool damp feeling from a nostril and down her neck, her palms equally sticky and damp. She coughs, a throbbing in the back of her skull.

The first eyes she sees are Lucy's, wide with concern;

"Oh my god! Your hands are bleeding! And your nose! And your ears!"

John pushes through, scanning the room nervously. Steve has arrived, shield in hand, as the smoke settles. And Tony's next words cut Izabella to the core;

"Where's Bruce?"

"And Romanoff?," Steve calls and circles the room as the dust begins to settle.

Jennifer is green and ready for action as always, pivoting to Izabella.

Lucy narrows her focus on her friend, "Did you do something with your powers?

"Where did you take them?" Tony pulls back his mask.

Izabella looks up with her blurred vision, "I...I not. They were with me, they go with me. Safe place."

"Well, clearly they're not here with you anymore," Tony states the obvious.

Jennifer clenches her jaw, she's been through this all before with the young girl, fully aware of how she works thanks to her conversations with Bruce, "Okay, it's alright. Think about your threads-."

Stark continues, not quite panicked yet but he's quickly getting there, "What was the last thing you saw as you did your thing? The dimensions, Izzy."

"I don't-...I don't know," She panics, quickly looking around.

Jennifer stands up straighter nervously licking her lips, "Okay, it's okay. Are you alright? Did you get hurt from the explosion? Do you need some water?" She wipes the girl's face with her sleeve, removing her sweatshirt to help Izabella's injuries over her face.

Lucy's jaw is dropped and her face is flushed of all color, "What do you mean- wait. You lost Uncle Bruce?! You lost Aunt Nat?!"

Jennifer takes a breath, trying to stay calm, "It's alright, Lucy. We'll figure it out."

"It's not! Izzy, I trusted you! Did you save them or not?!"

Tony shakes his head, becoming a little impatient, "The last thing you saw; What was the last thing you saw? We should go to the lab."

Izabella stutters, unable to process. Her mind is somewhere between Linda and the terror in the eyes of her two mentors.

She's watching now as Steve comes towards her with a damp cloth for her ears and nose that apparently won't stop bleeding, and for her palms that are still torn open. Between the adults encroaching in her space, the look of disappointment in Lucy's eyes and the event that's just transpired she's done, she's completely overwhelmed.

"Okay, she's going to pass out, clear out, people," John offers and urges the group to remove her from the room.

Jennifer is ready to oblige until Izabella sinks right where she is, unable to stand, "I not feel my feet-."

Tony circles the room, Steve moves in to pick her up and Jennifer just lifts a green hand, "Guys, you all need to back up! Right now! She needs to breathe. You're a bunch of tall freaks in her face! Back up!"

"And what are you?" Tony quips.

Izabella pants. Lucy yelling again now, mid freak out. It's almost in a way Izabella wishes she hadn't seen before, with her eyes glowing that golden brown that haunts her nightmares. John shouts to try and prove louder than his daughter and calm her.

Mikhailov loses her vision next, falling backward onto the ground in a puddle of tears. Jennifer is calling for her and judging from that familiar voice yelling her name, Svetlana has arrived.

The last thing Izabella sees before her world goes black are one of the few things left intact within the apartment; it's those tiny stones of red and green, dangling from off the crooked and half burnt coffee table.

* * *

Natasha's focus is finding Izabella, rattled when she quickly vanishes. Her eyes are as wide as Bruce's. They breathe from their panic eyeing each other with a million questions;

"You don't think she, glitched back to the tower."

He shakes his head, "No, no. I'm sure she's fine...The tower has- precautionary measures…Tony's home."

She glares, "Comforting."

"Jen's around."

"...Better."

Bruce feels his hands trembling slightly. He has to believe their young friend is okay. Alex whimpers at their heels and sniffs

Linda is on their mind, concerned over what they've seen. Over failing the girl in some way.

Natasha shivers, wrapping her arms around herself as she steps out on the plain field. Everything looks gray, fog filled. The rolling hills off in the distance barely visible through the smog.

"Where the hell are we?"

It's impossible to spot a landmark, in the cold vacant space. He holds her to keep her warm. For Natasha to be cold, it means it's freezing. He takes her hand and leads them along the nonexistent path in search of anything that will give them some information.

"I have no idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! We are almost done. 
> 
> So excited to finish the final book and call the series complete. 
> 
> Thank you for all the kudos and comments. I love you guys so much. And! One more final thank you to my amazing, incredible, friend and Beta @mir_sawyer! Round of applause for that genius.


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